Stray
by Secret Spy Guy
Summary: AU.Maddie and Jack Fenton, two arctic researchers, have been trying to discover the existence of a race known only as ice dwellers. Their breakthrough comes in the form of a teenage boy they find frozen in the ice, who holds a dark secret from his past.
1. Freed

**Secret Spy Guy: I really like this idea, and if people like it too, I might make it a fic. So...yeah...It's AU...yep**

**I need a better name for them than ice dwellers, and Danny needs a cool forgeiny name too, but I suck at those. **

**Discalimer: I don't own Danny Phantom**

* * *

Through a snowy and desolate wasteland, two lone figures tread, carrying large packs on their backs. Only goggles and thick brightly colored parkas protected them as they tread through the icy storm. The one belonging to the male was orange, the female's turquoise. Their heavy boots tromped through deep snow up past their knees. The woman turned to her companion, worry apparent on her face.

"The sun's doing down!" She shouted over the whistling winds. "Jack! What'll happen if we can't find shelter?!"

The man smiled weakly, wiping snow from his mouth.

"Don't worry, Maddie!" He called. "According to my charts, there is a cave right up ahead! We'll be there in no time!"

Maddie seemed to accept this, as she fell to silence, trudging along through the raging blizzard. Jack walked in front of her, shielding her small body from most of the wind's force.

"I think I see it Mads." Jack said, taking his wife by the arm. "Up there. The cave."

Even through the white wall of snow, a faint black blur could be seen. Maddie felt relief pour through her as she ran forward, trying hard not to trip over the thick snow.

They would be there soon.

* * *

The mouth of the cave was of medium size, just big enough to let Jack squeeze through. The two shed their packs, undoing the zippers and taking out various items, setting them carefully on the ice. Jack took out the poles of a tent, forcing them into the frozen ground. Maddie smiled warmly at him, before turning to her own unloading. She took out a small glowing green sphere and set it on the ice. After a few moments, it burst into chartreuse flames, casting shadows over the ice covered cavern. 

"That thing is really nifty." Jack chuckled. "I'm so glad you found it."

"I am too." Maddie grinned. "We'd be dead without it."

Jack turned back to his own work, leaving Maddie in her own thoughts. She stared at the tunnel that led into the other part of the cave.

What was back there?

"Jack?" She asked, getting to her feet. "I'm going to explore a little. See if there's any artifacts."

"Alright." The man replied, fishing around in his pack and taking out a small lantern. Maddie grinned, taking it from him, and turning it on.

"I'll be back soon sweetie." She cooed, pecking her husband on the cheek. Then the woman turned, and headed away through all the twists and turns of the tunnel. She made sure she remembered landmarks so she wouldn't get lost. This was just one of many caves in the area that she had explored. By now she was an expert.

She was careful not to slip on the icy path, running her hand gently over the frozen formations around her. No matter how many times she walked through these hidden places, they always struck her as beautiful and enchanting. The way the light from her lantern danced over them. It was spectacular.

It was then that a glint caught her eye.

Turning, Maddie cast light on the area, her eyes widening as she spotted something metal frozen into the ice. After closer inspection she saw what looked like a decorative silver band, large diamonds encrusted into the surface. A smile grew on the woman's face as she took a small pick from her pocket. Chips of ice landed on her coat as she cut away at the frozen crystal. Soon the artifact was free. Maddie felt happiness travel through her as she turned the band over in her hands, running her fingers over the strange inscriptions.

It had to belong to the ice dwellers.

She grinned as she pocketed the artifact, scanning the area around it with her lantern.

Another glint.

This one was a little further down the frozen path. Maddie chuckled, pushing forward through the ice. Excitement boiled inside her as she spotted another band frozen in place. She reached down with her pick, ready to free it from its icy prison…

When she saw something that made her gasp.

She saw pale blue fingers encircling it, holding onto the band tightly, frozen forever in that position.

Slowly, Maddie's eyes traveled along the arm, past a chest, and to a face.

She let out another gasp as she saw it.

It was the face of a teenage boy, his skin pale blue, his hair bleach white. His mouth was slightly open, his eyes shut tight, giving him a peaceful look.

The woman's gaze traveled to the elaborate silver band surrounding his neck. More strange symbols adorned its surface, resting over a shirt made out of some kind of animal skin.

Maddie reached a hand out to touch his icy prison.

This had been the breakthrough they had been waiting for.

The first discovered proof of ice dwellers.

The woman's eyes wandered to the silver band grasped in his frozen fingers.

She wanted to show it to Jack.

Taking her pick, Maddie began hacking away the ice in huge chunks, intent on getting to the artifact soon. With one final blow, the frozen crystal broke away from the boy's hand, showing his bluish flesh. The woman smiled as she reached out for her target, her fingers encircling it.

But as she got close, the hand gave a twitch.

Maddie let out an involuntary yelp as she pulled away, staring as the boy's own fingers began to move back and forth, becoming more fluid with each passing. Then they wrapped tighter around the band, holding it close to his palm.

"Oh my gosh…" Maddie murmured, regaining her courage and trying to take the metal bracelet once more. A gasp escaped her lips as ice grew around it, preventing her from trying again.

"Fascinating." The woman smiled, taking her pick in her hands.

This boy was alive.

She threw all caution to the wind as she continued, freeing the ice dweller's face, chest, arms and legs. It took forever, but finally she managed. Her heart went out to the small boy as he lay there, more ice reforming in his hand.

Even in his subconscious mind he knew he had to protect that band. What was so important about it?

Maddie got to her knees, using one arm to support his back and the other winding under his legs. She then slowly lifted him from his former prison, careful not to wake him. For a moment, his eyes flickered open, showing a pale gray. Maddie tread slowly, smiling down at him.

"Your band is safe." She whispered. "Go back to sleep."

As though reassured, the boy's eyelids fluttered shut and his face became peaceful once more. Maddie allowed herself a small chuckle as she stared at him. So little. How old could he really be? And what was he? He obviously wasn't human. If he was human, he would be dead. It was puzzling indeed.

* * *

Jack grinned broadly as he placed the last hook of the tent around its pole, and stepped back to admire his work. 

Done.

The man hummed merrily to himself as he settled around the green fire, taking his black gloves off for a moment and setting them aside.

"I wonder if Mads found anything…" he mused to himself. His mind wandered as he pondered of why she was still gone. It was then that his ears picked up the sounds of footsteps. She was back.

"Maddie." He smiled, putting his gloves on once more. "Did you find anything? Any artifacts…"

The man's face fell as he saw the boy held in his wife's arms. Maddie didn't say a word as she set him on the ground near the fire. Jack stared at him in awe before turning back to his wife.

"Mads? Is he dead?"

"No." The woman replied, shaking her head. "He was moving his fingers, trying to protect that band. I found one like it a little ways away. Want to see it?"

Jack nodded greedily, taking the silver thing from his wife's hands.

"Look at those gems." He smiled. "They have to be worth thousands of dollars…not to mention the silver. Do you think they had the recourses here?"

"I'm not sure." Maddie replied. "That's likely, considering he has another on his wrist. And a similar one around his neck."

"This is a breakthrough Maddie." Jack grinned. "A real breakthrough."

Their attention shifted when they heard a small murmur. The boy had begun to breathe, air coming in rigid gasps. Maddie went to his side, tipping his head back slightly to open his throat.

"There…" She cooed. "You haven't had air for years."

"How long do you think that is?" Jack asked, kneeling by her side.

"Who knows…maybe a hundred years…or more." The woman whispered, running her fingers through the boy's spiky hair. "He's truly a marvel. A wonderful discovery."

"You're going to take him back with us, right?" Jack asked.

"Yes." Maddie replied. "Think of all the things we could learn from him. Think of all the things we could learn about the ice dwellers. He could be the last of his kind…unless they're all frozen somewhere. He could tell us that."

"We'd have to cut our expedition short." Jack murmured. "Would you do that?"

"Yes. We have to get him back as soon as possible. While he's still asleep." Maddie smiled. "We'll set out first thing tomorrow. How does that sound?"

"Very good. This is better than anything else we could ever find." The man chuckled to himself.

"So much better."

* * *


	2. D'nni

**Spy Guy: Ok. Sorry I haven't replied to your reviews. I'll try to get to that later today. thank you for all the popel who contributed names. I still might use them later, but or now I ahve Danny's name. Thank you Cordria for the idea. :D **

**Anyways, here's the next chapter. Is there anyone out there who is good at making up words, cause..I suck at it. I know I aks for help a lot, but...heh...I'm bad at names and made up words. It woudl be appreiciated. **

**Now here's the next part. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom**

* * *

Heat…

It was stifling.

It felt like his body was on fire…

The Warm Bloods' fire.

The boy stirred, giving a slight whimper as he tried to edge away from the flames. His eyelids opened sluggishly, revealing haunting gray, devoid of a dark pupil. He spotted two figures sitting around the flames, their eyes closed as they breathed softly. One still held a thermos of something in their hand, the spoon lying forgotten on the ice. The boy whimpered as he saw their faces…

Pale peach…the color of Warm Bloods. Quickly he turned to his hand, sighing when he saw the band still in his grasp. The boy whispered something and held it close to his body before slipping the thing over his wrist.

At least he still had it.

The boy looked to the entrance of the cave, seeing the glow of the moon shine through it.

He had to get out. The Warm Bloods would hurt him. He grasped onto the icy wall behind him, his hands sticking like a gecko's to the surface. He tried to be silent as he attempted to pull himself to his feet.

One of his legs dangled sickeningly. The boy held back a whimper of pain, lowering himself to the floor. How could he have forgotten? Why had he not healed yet?

The boy slumped in defeat, glaring at the people across the flames. How could they live hand and hand with fire? Flames could melt and destroy ice, as was apparent by the lack of it around _this_ fire. Ice was the thing that kept his people alive, sheltering them, making tools.

Fire couldn't do that.

Fire could only melt and burn.

He had heard stories of his kind venturing to the world of the Warm Bloods and perishing in the heat. It was the last place he wanted to go. The Warm Bloods he had seen called this land of ice and rock the cursed place, the place where ships go an never return.

Warm Bloods could not live here with out fire…

But he could not live in their world without ice.

As he stared at them, he could see the two shivering slightly, a sensation he had only experienced once. Even with their thick coats and their hoods these people could not live here.

So why did they come?

* * *

Maddie smiled slightly, her eyes opening slowly. She yawned, snuggling further into Jack arm, blinking a few times.

It was then that she saw him.

The boy's eyes were wide open, though focused on his leg. His hands moved from the ice to his shin, bringing the crystal over him like it was clay. There was already ice around his torso and thigh, but it was unconnected to the ground. Maddie said nothing, watching fascination as he worked, chipping the ice away from the earth, reaching his hands under his calf and forming even more of the frozen crystal. Once his entire leg was covered, he settled down, his eyes looking around the cavern. Maddie watched as he stared at the ground, defeat reflected in his gaze. He mumbled something softy in a language she couldn't understand, before falling silent…

Then he turned to her…

Maddie pulled out from under her husband's arm, staring at the boy long and hard. He reminded her of a little puppy, the way he looked at her. He was confused and slightly afraid. The woman smiled warmly, nodding.

"Maddie Fenton." She whispered, pointing to herself.

"Mad…eee?" The boy asked softly, cocking his head.

"Yes." The woman nodded. "You understand?"

The boy nodded.

"I'm…D'nni." He whispered, still fearful in the presence of a Warm Blood. "Dage D'nni."

"Dage?" The woman asked.

D'nni nodded, looking away. He knew she wanted him to explain, but his English was terrible. He could understand what she was saying, but could think of no words to describe to her what a Dage _was_. It was the very same language barrier that had gotten people hurt. The boy held his breath, searching through his mind to find a word that would be Dage to her.

He couldn't find one.

"Is it your family name?" The woman asked.

D'nni shook his head.

"Sa-Dage." He replied.

It was Maddie's turn to cock her head.

"Sa-Dage?" She asked.

"Sa-Dage D'nni." The boy said. He felt miserable unable to communicate with her. He knew that the Warm Bloods could change their moods in a moment's notice.

"Sa, family name." He said.

"So…" Maddie continued. "Is Dage like a title? It shows rank?"

D'nni cocked his head again. Those words were strange to him. He didn't understand.

Jack stirred, letting out a monstrous yawn. D'nni cringed, holding one of his bands to his chest. Maddie noticed and quickly hushed her husband, pointing in the direction of the boy. Jack's eyes widened.

"He's awake." He gasped in disbelief. "Maddie…how are we supposed to get him…"

The woman cut him off shaking her head.

"His name's D'nni and he understands a little English." She said.

"Really?" The man smiled. "I'm Jack. Jaaa-aaakkk." He drew it out long and obnoxiously. D'nni nodded timidly.

"Ja-ak." He replied with his strange voice.

"He said my name Mads!" Jack nearly squealed, hugging his wife tight. "An ice dweller knows the name of the great Jack Fenton!"

Ice dweller?

The boy knew what ice was…it was his element…what he lived around. Dweller…to dwell meant to live…ice liver?

Someone who lives in the ice…

"He's cryokinetic, Jack." Maddie whispered. "I watched him put the ice around his leg. He did that all by himself."

"What's wrong?" Jack asked slowly, pointing to the boy's leg.

"Broken…" D'nni replied bluntly.

_"At the hands of a Warm Blood."_ He hissed in his mind. This one saw him as stupid. He could tell…the other…

The other seemed to care about him. She marveled at his abilities. She broke him from his icy prison. She allowed him to keep his band.

Maybe she was different than the other Warm Bloods. There was something comforting about her that made him want to trust her.

But could he?

"Maddie." Jack whispered. "How are we going to get him back? What if he won't come with us?"

"We'll ask him Jack…and if he doesn't…we'll find a way." His wife replied, turning to the boy

"D'nni?" She asked. The boy locked eyes with her.

"Would you like to come back with us?"

It was an immediate reaction…D'nni shook his head.

"No…" He replied. "This is home."

"But if you came with us, you could see all new kinds of animals and plants. And you could meet more people. There are a lot of people who want to meet you."

The boy continued to shake his head.

"This is home." He insisted.

"There's no one here anymore." Jack said. "You'd be all alone."

D'nni cocked his head.

"They're still here." He insisted. "In the…lodge. It's outside. Tall."

"There's nothing out there D'nni." Maddie replied softly, "We've been all over these parts. There is no one else here but us."

"Lodge is outside. Daeir is there…looking for me." The boy said. "Warm bloods made us. It's there."

"Alright." Maddie sighed. "Could you show it to us?"

The boy nodded for once, but made no movement.

"Can't walk." He said, pointing to his leg.

"It won't heal well like that." Jack said. "We could take you back and have you fixed up in no time."

"No." D'nni said, his voice growing firmer. "I heal myself."

"Let's leave him for a while, Jack." Maddie whispered in her husband's ear. "Maybe he'll change his mind."

The man nodded, settling down on the ice.

"I guess we should make breakfast." He said. "Do you eat anything D'nni?"

The boy couldn't help but vigorously nod.

"Love warm blood food." He said.

The man shrugged the strange comment off, and reached into his pack, taking out a few cans.

"Alright…" He said, looking them over. "I got a can of pears and…a few cans of soup. You like noodles, D'nni?"

"Yes." The boy grinned. "Very much."

"Alright then." Maddie smiled, unfolding a strange grate. She placed it over the green flames and then took out a bowl. Jack struggled momentarily with a can opener, before dumping the contents of the soup-can into it. Maddie then set the bowl over the fire, taking a pot and filling it with ice. She held it over the flames until the ice melted and poured the liquid contents into the bowl. D'nni couldn't help but lick his lips at the smell. The one things warm bloods did right, was learn to cook. It was the only good thing fire could do. He took the scent in deeply, imagining the noodles running down his throat. Maddie saw him, grinning as she dumped some frozen pears out of a can and into another bowl. This one was thawed as well, before being handed to the boy.

"You can have them." She smiled warmly. "Be careful. They might feel a little hot."

D'nni thanked her and took a pear slice in his hands. It was burning, but still he put it in his mouth, chewing tenderly. Warm blood food was always his weakness. The warm bloods he knew always used it against him. But these ones wouldn't. They were kind…right? They weren't going to exploit them…were they?

All he could do was eat up and hope for the best…

* * *

_The ocean stretched as far as he could see, ending only where the sun poked out from the horizon. The boy crouched upon the edge of a large glacier, absentmindedly throwing shards of ice into the crashing waves. Boredom clouded his mind as he gazed at the water, mesmerized by the animals swimming around peacefully. _

_Then he saw it. _

_The thing was small at first, but it steadily grew larger. The boy pulled himself to his feet, shielding his eyes from the sun to get a better look. _

_It was a ship. Thick frozen foam clung to the bow. The boy gasped, instantly turning on his heel and running across the ice with the sure swiftness of his kind. _

_He had to get back…

* * *

_


	3. The hotel

**Spy Guy: After promising that I'd have this up on Wednesday, here it is! Thanks to Cordria who gave me the trick to get this uploaded. :D Sorry about the wait. **

**Right now, I'm waiting for claw of the wild to load, so sorry if this might seem short. **

**This chapter is brough to you by Pancakes and the letter three. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom, Moutain dew, or...I guess ice man. Meh. **

* * *

D'nni smiled as he set the soup bowl on the ice. A noodle hung from his closed lips as he stared cross-eyed at it. Maddie laughed softly at the sight, finishing her own. Jack was a little ways away, packing the supplies in the large bag. He held a list in his hand, checking everything off one by one.

"I think I've got everything Maddie." He said. "You want me to take the tent down?"

"Yes. Then call Chief. See if we can get a copter out here."

"What are we going to do about the kid?" Jack asked. Maddie turned to D'nni who had been following the entire conversation, the look of defeat on his face more apparant than ever.

"We can't leave him here Jack. But I don't want to force him." The woman sighed, holding her arms around her body to keep the frigid weather out.

"We're not going to hurt you, D'nni." She said approaching him. "We've been all over these parts. There's no one left. They're all gone."

"The Lodge…" the boy whimpered.

"There's nothing there but snow and ice." Jack replied. "Not even a mountain of any sort. This cave is in the middle of nowhere."

D'nni shook his head vigorously.

"Naba. Let me show you." He reached his hand up, motioning for Maddie to help him. The woman did, pulling the boy to his feet and supporting him. Surprisingly he didn't slip and slide on the ice as he limped forward. There were even a few times when _he_ was keeping Maddie up as she stepped on an ice patch and nearly fell.

"It's out here." D'nni insisted, pushing toward the opening. Dim sunlight fell through, bathing his pale skin in a warm glow.

"There's nothing out there, D'nni." Maddie said as they emerged into the outdoors. The weather had cleared, leaving only blue skies as far as the eye could see. D'nni looked around franticly, muttering in his own language.

"Naba!" He shouted suddenly, his eyes searching madly. "It's here! Has to be!"

"D'nni…it's gone." Maddie murmured. "No one has seen anyone like you in over a hundred years. Ice dwellers were believed to be extinct like Neanderthals and Dinosaurs. There aren't any left…unless they were frozen like you…"

D'nni stood still, staring at the endless white, his mouth open wide.

"Daeir…" He whispered.

There were a few more moments of silence before he spoke again…

"What happened?" He asked.

"No one knows." Maddie replied. "Jack and I have been searching for that very answer. We were hoping you could tell us."

"Why?" D'nni asked. "Why did you want know?"

"Because we're Arctic researchers. It's our job to discover new things here. We weren't even looking for ice dwellers when we first arrived. Then we kept finding strange things like bracelets, necklaces, various bizarre weapons that didn't match up with any we'd ever seen before. We came to the conclusion that there had to be a race of people living here at one point who made these things."

D'nni was silent, his hands fingering the band around his wrist. He looked down at the strange symbols on the silver surface, moisture collecting over his eyes.

"You took me somewhere." He whispered. "This isn't same. Still alive…the Lodge."

"D'nni…" Maddie sighed. "I found you here. If someone took you somewhere, it wasn't us. There have been no signs of human life anywhere here. Maybe they…left…"

"Naba…" D'nni murmured. "This is home."

"Then you're all alone, D'nni." Maddie sighed. "

"Naba. Daeir." The boy said firmly. "Daeir is waiting at Lodge. The Warm Bloods said I could see him. Daeir is waiting."

Maddie gently took the boy by his arm, steadying him as he wobbled slightly. He pulled away.

"This is home." D'nni cried. "The Gla-ki live here always! Iaerah told me that since forever the Gla-ki live here. They'd never leave."

"D'nni…calm down…please." Maddie said. "If you come back with us, we'll help you find them."

"Lies!" The boy hissed.

"It's the truth." The woman smiled. "It must be hard to wake up and find everything gone. But we could really use your help in learning about your kind. You're a…Gla-ki?"

D'nni nodded.

"You call us ice dwellers." He replied coldly.

"See? Already we know more. You mentioned Warm Bloods a few times. Are those people like us?"

Maddie watched as the boy nodded slowly.

"They come in their boats." He said, turning to her. "Daeir welcomed them into the Lodge…stopped from freezing. They were nice, sharing their strange food. Then they only wanted…?" The boy cocked his head, pointing to the metal on his band.

"Silver?" Maddie asked.

"Silver." D'nni said. "They called it silver. They ruined the land. We got hurt."

"We're not after silver." Maddie said. "We can't mine here. It's illegal. This area is protected. _ You_ are protected. If we brought you back, no one could do anything to hurt you."

"You promise?" D'nni asked, turning his gray eyes to face her.

"I _do_ promise." Maddie grinned. "Jack does as well. He might seem crude, but he's really a gentle giant."

"Maddie!" The man's voice cried, booming over the snow. Jack was bounding towards them, a smile on his face.

"Chief's on his way to pick us up. He'll be here soon."

D'nni held his arms close around his body, trying to hide the fear he felt. This place had always been his home. From the first memory of Iaerah, to the coming of the Warm Bloods, he had never left this place.

"Mads, what about the kid? He'll die here if we leave him alone." The man whispered to his wife.

"I think he agreed. I'm not sure though." The woman replied.

"D'nni. Are you coming?"

After a moment's pause, the boy nodded, his white hair bobbing in and out of his eyes.

"Wonderful!" Jack bellowed, a huge smile spreading across his face. "Come on kid. Let's get you back to the cave. Chief's bringing you a stretcher so you don't have to walk on your leg. We'll have a doctor check it out and get you a real cast." He chuckled slightly then.

"One that won't melt."

D'nni nodded as the man placed an arm around his shoulders, leading him gently back to the cave. Jack's presence was still unsettling to him. He was like the hulking guard who caught him…

Broke his leg.

When they reached the cave, D'nni scuttled away from the man, his hand once more stroking the band.

Jack didn't seen to notice as he continued to pack up.

* * *

It was a while later that Maddie sat in the helicopter, huddling against her husband as the cold winds came in from outside.

She watched as the boy was hoisted on a stretcher into the back. Two men in thick black coats fastened him to the floor, closing the cargo door behind them.

"Where are we going to keep him?" She asked. "In the lab?"

"No." Jack replied. "The guest room. I think it would be more convienent if we're going to study his behavior. We have that place fortified so much better than the lab. And the A.C in there works like a charm, so he won't overheat"

"I can't believe he's cryokenetic." Maddie continued. "I only thought things like that existed in comic books. Never did I think the ice dwellers could controll the element they lived around."

She looked behind her at the nervous face on the boy. His hair hung in wet strands around his blue skin. His gray eyes were filled with uncertany as his fingers dug into the surface below him. His breathing was ragged as he lay strapped in place, trying to prepare for the journey he was about to make. The journey across the great ocean, over the ships he had seen crash into glaciers, over the animals he had once called friends. Past the boiling temperatures of the equator to the small town of Amity park, home of his discoverers.

It was a journey that both Jack and Maddie had made many times before, but this was the first time a discovery such as this had been made.

The helicoptor blades whirred to life, sending a flurry of snow into the air as the machine slowly took off into the skies…

To America.

* * *

That night D'nni feasted on Hamburgers and french fries as he sat on the hotel bed. The temperature was beareable, not blazing like in the rumors he had heard. The bed he sat on was soft, it bounced whenever he moved. There was light without fire. It came from these strange glass spheres set on the walls. Jack even showed him this strange black box where pictures moved. As the boy sat munching a french fry, he spotted a man on it. It wasn't a real man…he could tell. His skin was the same color as him...but he had the texture of ice. It formed on his hands as he used it to keep back a swarm of little black dots that seemed to be causing trouble.

"Just like you D'nni." Jack laughed. "We should call you Ice Man"

The boy cocked his head, moving to itch his leg, but finding thick plaster in the way. He would rather have ice around it. This stuff itched. Jack had insisted on signing it, his messy siginature taking up an entire side.

"Don't give him any ideas, Jack." Maddie scolded, throwing her husband a pair of pj's.

"I got these downstairs for you." The woman cotinued, throwing another to D'nni. "You've been wearing the same clothes for years."

The boy skillfully caught them, staring at the fabric. The pants and shirt had a white and black dog on them, hugging a yellow bird. He looked back at Maddie in confusion, before she pointed to the bathroom.

"Go in there and change." She said. D'nni nodded, easing himself off the bed and limping across the floor. The door shut behind him. The bathrom was a scary place in itself. Maddie had explained the whole thing to him. The toilet was to relieve himself. The tub was where he would clean in the morning. The sink was to wash his hands every time he left. Easy enough.

D'nni took off his shirt, dropping it to the floor and slipping on the new one. Then he slipped the pants over his cast. He made sure to wash his hands before leaving, using the thing Maddie called soap. It looked tasty, but he refrained. The boy exited the room, climbing back on his bed once more. Jack grinned as he saw D'nni, still decked out in his ornate bands.

"Aren't those uncomfortable to sleep in?" He asked.

D'nni shook his head, his fingers running over the one on his wrist.

"Why don't you take them off?" Maddie asked, smiling. She walked over to a gray metal door built into a wall and pulled it open.

"You can put them in here." She continued, taking a small key on a bracelet and handing it to the boy.

D'nni shook his head, holding the band closer.

"Naba." He replied.

The woman sighed, but relented, closing the door with a click. D'nni seemed to calm down slightly, turning his attention back to his food. It helped to keep the feeling of dread from his mind. He took his cup in his hands, sucking noisily on the straw. Something sweet and yellow was inside, it gave him jitters, but it was so good. Jack called it Moutain dew. He didn't know what dew was, but it tasted good. Eventually the last fry was gone, and the boy had to content himself with a small bag of cookies covered in some crinkly clear material. He pulled at the top, desperatly trying to get it open.

"Let me help." Maddie finally offered, coming over. But before she reached it, D'nni conjured a shard of ice in his hand, and stabbed the bag, cutting a neat opening. Maddie seemed surprised for only a moment, before smiling and sitting back in her seat. The boy slipped the shard in his drink before taking his prize out. The result was mildly dissapointing. There were only three cookies, and they were no bigger than a quarter. Still he ate them, settling down on the bed when he was done, his stomach full to the brim. This world seemed nothing like the others had said. It had been hot when he was brought to the small hospital underneath a thick sheet. It had been hot before he was rushed inside this building, the same sheet covering him. But this room was cool and refreshing. D'nni felt guilty when he saw Maddie shivering in her chair. He was used to more cold than her. That was why the Gla-ki were not meant to live with Warm Bloods. They simply couldn't be happy near each other. There had to be something in this room keeping it cold. Warm Bloods had to be capable of altering the temperatures in their dwellings. They could alter light, trap things in boxes to watch for sheer entertainment.

D'nni yawned, curling up on the top of his covers.

As he closed his eyes he saw his home flash before him. The ledge where he would always sit and stare at the ocean. The place where he would run to get away from the Warm Bloods. They could never catch him, gaining the boy a few miniutes of peace before they dragged him back.

But these people were different. They weren't going to hurt him. He could feel it. They deserved some kindness.

"Gla-rah." D'nni murmered softly, holding his band to his heart. Maddie watched as ice formed around the trinket, melding to his chest. Then slowly…he nodded off.

"It's going to melt." Jack whispered.

"He doesn't know that." Maddie replied. "Let him be. It's ok."

"Alright." The man smiled. "I'll take first shift in watching him. You get some rest Maddie."

The woman nodded, climbing onto the extra bed and pulling the covers around her body. Before she shut her eyes she stared fondly at the boy, his lips moving wordlessly as he slept. Maddie allowed herself a small chuckle before closing her eyes...

* * *

_The sun reflected painfully off the snow, nearly blinding the boy as he crouched on its surface. A large white bear sat a little ways away, feasting on a dead seal. D'nni's breathing was frenzied as he gripped his weapon tightly. His gray eyes stared ahead, intent on killing his target and bringing him back to the Lodge. Daeir would be proud of him for bringing in a catch such as this. _

_The bear was not looking at him. Its head was turned away, concentrated on its own meal. D'nni walked silently, his furred boots making no noise. Then with a move swift and sure, he buried the silver point of his spear into the creatures back, piercing its heart. It let out a great roar, bucking backwards. D'nni grunted as the metal spear shaft bent in his hands. The boy hit the ice, rolling across the surface. Before he could react, the bear was upon him, its red jaws taking hold of his arm. D'nni cried out, pounding his attacker with his fists. Ice grew around the wound, pushing out the bear's jaws, and trapping the seeping red inside. D'nni shrugged off his pain, watching as his prey slowly collapsed to the snow, its injury getting the better of it. The boy took an animal skin rope from his pocket and tied it painstakingly around the bear's middle. Then, holding the other end in his good hand, D'nni began his long trek back to the Lodge…

* * *

_

Morning came as the bright sun peeked through the curtains over the large windows of the room. D'nni stirred slightly as it fell across his face. Something caught his attention as he moved, discovering the sheets damp under his wrist…

The ice was gone.

The boy wilted slightly when he realized his greatest comfort could not survive in this place. He sat up, wiping sleep from his eyes and looking around. Jack lay asleep on the bed, Maddie nowhere in sight. D'nni turned away from the man, whimpering as his stomach rumbled. His head shot up as the door clicked open and shut. Maddie stepped into view, holding three containers in some kind of white stuff. She set one before him, smiling warmly. D'nni nodded back, managing to open the box. Inside were three circular objects seemingly made from some type of bread. Beside them were two cups, one containing something thick and brown, the other holding a dark yellowish substance.

"The brown one is syrup." Maddie said, opening her own. "You put it on the pancakes."

Her finger was pointing to the bread.

"Pan…cakes?" The boy repeated, taking the object in his hand.

The woman nodded, proceeding to pour the syrup over the top of her own. D'nni did the same, watching as it pooled around the container's bottom. His eyes followed Maddie as she took a pronged object and a strange knife in her hands to cut her pancakes into squares. The boy imitated her, his movements much more awkward. When he was done, he took a big piece and put it in his mouth, chewing.

Maddie almost laughed as she watched D'nni's face light up. His tongue licked the syrup off the fork hungrily.

Maddie turned her attention to Jack, placing the last box next to him. The man's nose began sniffing madly, his eyes popping open as his hands grabbed at the container.

"Pancakes!" He bellowed, hugging the object to his chest. D'nni smiled slightly as he watched him.

Maybe Jack wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

A while later, D'nni found himself wrapped in the sheet once more, being ushered quickly through a back door. The strange thing Maddie called a car was waiting for them. D'nni took a seat, holding tight to the soft fabric below him as the car roared to life. He couldn't see anything out of the dark windows as they headed along. Maddie assured him it would be alright, but the loud noise still gave the boy unease.

* * *

Soon they reached an open field with the helicopter waiting in it. D'nni reluctantly got back inside , this time sitting up with Maddie and Jack. This window he _could_ see out of, but it didn't make him feel any better. The air inside the copter was stifling. Sweat poured over D'nni's face, his tongue hanging out like a dog's as he struggled for breath.

"Chief." Jack said to the man in front. "Can you get the A.C. on for the kid? He's not used to the heat."

The man nodded, flipping some switches. Soon the temperature changed and the boy calmed down.

So the Warm Bloods _could_ change the weather.

Once more D'nni felt the uncomfortable sensation of take off. Maddie assured him it would be the last.

D'nni found himself praying she was right.

* * *


	4. Warm Bloods

**Spy Guy: HEre's the next chappy. I'v e been very stressed, and in somewhat of a creative slump. So if this isn't good tell me, and I'll try to redo it. I couldn't respond to many replied, becaue ff. net wo't load in my room, which is where I can spend hours replyig. It's either replies or updates. Today I'm updating, If you have any big questions, feel free to email or PM, and I'll be able to respond quickly. **

**Diclaimer: I don't own DP**

* * *

Landing wasn't much better. D'nni felt his ears pop uncomfortably as they neared the earth. Maddie held his hand, telling him softly that they would get some food afterwards. He calmed down slightly.

Another car came to pick them up, speeding down the road. D'nni was getting used to the noise by now, almost finding it comforting in contrast to the roar of the helicopter. Along the way, Maddie told D'nni about the home that she and Jack shared. She said that it was a huge building, much larger than they needed with many rooms with different things inside. Various places that he could explore, like the kitchen with great amounts of food, or their daughter's playroom with endless amounts of toys and puzzles. D'nni was confused by the last part, his head tilting questionably to the side.

"Daughter?" He asked.

"Yes." Maddie replied. "Our child. Offspring. She's grown now, off to college. We never threw any of her things away. They're all there for you."

D'nni's eyes lit up as a smile crossed his lips. She had a child…that meant…

"Iaerah!" He exclaimed, holding the woman's hand tighter. For a moment those eyes seemed so familiar, deep gray and comforting. He could see his own Iaerah's white locks fall around her face as she bent down to kiss him to sleep. Daeir was always beside her, his smile gleaming brightly.

For moment, D'nni was back at the Lodge, Daeir and Iaerah standing over his bed…

But then they faded into black...

Maddie was not _his_ Iaerah.

The boy pulled his hand away, stroking the band softly. Maddie shot Jack a look of confusion, to which he replied with a shrug. She sighed, turning back to the boy.

"If I'm a mother…that would also make me an…Iaerah?" The woman asked slowly.

"Mother?" D'nni asked.

Maddie sighed.

"This must be hard for you." She smiled. "Here we are, expecting you to know all our language, while we know none of yours…no one does. Where did you learn English anyway?"

"The Warm Bloods." The boy replied, his face falling. "Daeir and I had to know. They expected us to. Forced us around fire, drilled it into us. Daeir didn't understand. I had to."

"This sounds familiar." Jack murmured.

"We'll talk more later." Maddie replied, looking to D'nni, who was staring out the window forlornly

The Warm Bloods out there looked different than the ones he had seen. They were wearing no coats and were dressed much differently than Jack, Maddie, and the man they called Chief.

There were many cars driving around. They came in all shapes and sizes, varying in colors from all the rainbow. All around were huge structures, built as tall as some of the glaciers he had seen. Warm Bloods came in and out of them.

It must be their homes.

As they drove, the buildings became smaller, and more spaced. Green covered the ground while little Warm Bloods played with each other. D'nni whimpered as he recalled all of his playmates…

Gone…

He remembered the times when they would run along the glaciers, hunting bears or seals. Snow fights were common even in sight of their prey. Food was plentiful…and they had nothing to worry about.

"We're almost there, D'nni." Maddie smiled. "It's right down this road here, ok?"

The boy nodded, staring at all the trees and foliage in confusion. Maddie noticed, and explained.

"The stuff on the ground is called grass. We use it to keep our yards looking nice. So none of the dirt shows through."

D'nni nodded.

Why did their yards need to look good? What did it matter? Survival was more important…wasn't it?

Maybe Warm Bloods didn't need to hunt anymore. Maddie had brought him food very quickly. No one here seemed to hunt…so…maybe they turned to their lawns to keep themselves busy. There was one in a large hat crouched on the ground, digging a hole. Another had a tube with water coming out of it.

They could control water too?

His sadness and confusion turned to awe as he saw brightly colored grass. It was shaped differently. Many people had these. Maybe Maddie had some.

There was a long dirt path that the car turned down.

"There it is." The woman whispered, pointing ahead. D'nni craned his neck to see, his nervousness returning like a bad cold. This was to be his new home. Who knew how long these people would keep him here? It could be months…years…until he saw the familiar white of his homeland.

It was a nice building, two stories high and made of red brick. There _was_ colored grass in the yard, but it was all yellow. The green grass was very tall, the stalks bent over from their own weight.

"Man…" Jack mumbled. "The gardener must've quit again. We're gonna be working hard on that."

The car stopped, and the two got out.

"Come on D'nni." Maddie smiled, offering her hand. "Let's go inside. Don't worry. It's nice."

"Hungry." The boy said softly.

"I'll show you the kitchen, kid." Jack grinned, "Maybe sometime we can sit around the couch, watching football and eating pork rinds like real men!"

D'nni held back a whimper as Jack wrapped an arm around his shoulders and led him towards the house. From his pocket, the man took a gold key, and forced it into the lock. There was a click as the door opened.

A wave of cold hit D'nni as he entered. All the curtains were drawn over the windows, making it dark and sinister. The boy tried backing up slightly. The place was huge…much larger than that room at the hotel. He pushed from Jack's arm, and hid behind Maddie, looking around nervously. How did they live like this? There was so much stuff. Many things that weren't needed. It was beautiful in a frightening way.

"You're room's going to be just like the room last night." Maddie cooed, pushing D'nni gently forward. "Are you alright?"

The boy nodded. Jack stood still, seeming slightly hurt, but following anyways.

* * *

"This is your room." Maddie said, opening up a white door. She nudged D'nni inside and flicked on the light.

The room was done in white and blue, with soft blue carpet, and bright walls. The bed was covered in a knitted blanket over a few fluffy pillows.

This wasn't so bad.

D'nni climbed into the bed, sinking down in the soft mattress. He nearly lost his balance, but managed to catch himself before he tumbled onto his back. Maddie laughed slightly and walked over.

"Careful." She cautioned. "It's better than the one last night."

D'nni smiled weakly and nodded, looking around the room.

There was one of the black boxes in front of an off-white chair to his left and another door to his right.

"What in there?" He asked, pointing to the mysterious room.

"That's your bathroom. Just like last night." The woman replied, walking over to the door, and opening it. D'nni nodded.

That, he could understand.

"I'm going to run out and get something for you to eat." Maddie said, heading for the exit. "Did you like what you had last night?"

The boy's eyes lit up at the thought of French fries. He nodded vigorously.

"Yes." He grinned. "Food."

"Alright." The woman replied. "Stay here."

"Yes." D'nni replied. The door shut with a click…

And he was alone.

Silence gripped the room, settling down upon it like a dark presence. There was a thud that sounded from above. The boy gave an involuntary yelp, and held the band close.

_"That one stole it…" _

"Maddie?" He whimpered as something rattled in the wall. Outside, a loud car roared past. There was a scratching close by.

And all he could do was sit, begging Maddie to return soon.

* * *

The woman plucked her keys from a hook on the wall and took a light jacket in her hand.

"Jack. What do you want to eat?" She asked, walking toward the door, slipping the cloak over her arms. An inner alarm went off when her husband gave no reply.

"Jack?" Maddie tried again, worry hinted in her voice. Jack always wanted food. He couldn't live without it. The woman poked her head into the living room, her face softening as she saw her husband sitting in his huge leather chair, flipping channels.

"I'm not hungry, Maddie." He replied, his voice flat and dull.

Something had to be wrong.

"Jack…is something wrong?" Maddie asked, coming up beside him.

"It's nothing." The man sighed. "Just go get food for the kid. I'll be right here, catching up on months of missed T.V."

Maddie glared at her husband, placing her hands firmly on her hips.

"We've been married for twenty years, Jack." She said. "I know when something's bothering you. You need to tell me. So I can help you."

"It's nothing, Maddie." The man firmly replied. "Please, just feed the kid."

The woman didn't budge for a long while. She stared at her husband, desperately trying to read his face. After a while, she gave up, sighing dejectedly and walking away.

Jack heard the door open and close.

He heard the car rev up, and drive away.

And he heard the cry that echoed from above him.

* * *

_"Hey! Freak! Get back over here!" _

_D'nni wilted, staring at the angered eyes of the Warm Bloods before him. D'nni turned away from another Gla-ki whose hollow gray eyes peeked from beneath long silver hair He glared at the men as they beckoned D'nni over, swinging metal clubs in their hands. _

_"Daeir." D'nni whimpered, refusing to move. He continued the sentence in Gla-ki, aware of the men's disapproval. _

_"Freak! The boss wants to see you!" _

_"Naba.**" **The boy whispered. _

_The old one shook his head solemnly, getting slowly to his feet, and resting a hand on D'nni's shoulder. He whispered in the boy's ear, his tongue clicking in the strange language of their kind. _

_"Naba!" D'nni cried. His eyes darted to the Warm Bloods as they neared. Daeir continued to speak, his words desperate. The boy felt a warm hand grip his arm, and pull him back. _

_"Come on freak, we don't like to wait." _

_"Daeir!" D'nni shouted as he was forced away. _

_ "Walk." One man demanded. D'nni grunted as a club rammed him in the back, pushing him forward. The boy traipsed forlornly over the frozen ground of his home. But every so often, his gray eyes would lock onto those of the Gla-ki behind him…begging for him to help. _

_Daeir turned away, icy tears gathering and freezing to his pale skin. _

_There was nothing he could do… **

* * *

**_

D'nni awoke with a start, holding his arms around him. His fingers fumbled franticly over the band, pulling on it sharply.

"Daeir!" He whimpered, pain clutching his chest. Years of longing flooded back to him, hitting hard, and wrenching tears from his eyes. They trickled along his cheeks, dropping onto the bedspread and leaving small dark spots.

"Kid? You alright?"

D'nni startled at the low voice, only feeling slightly comforted when he connected it to Jack.

How would the man treat him now that Maddie wasn't around? Would he lash out, demanding things from D'nni that he couldn't give?

"Yes." The boy replied. "Sleep."

He hoped that Jack would go away, but still the door opened and the man entered, holding a small yellow bag in his hands. He threw it onto the bed, smiling weakly. D'nni just stared at, trying to hide his apprehension.

"They're potato chips." Jack said. "I know that you're hungry. Maddie might take a while."

"Gla-ra." D'nni whispered, taking the bag , and fumbling with the packaging. Then he realized his slip and repeated the phrase in English.

"Thank-you."

Jack watched as the boy figured out how to open the bag. D'nni took out the thin crisp, turning it over in his hands.

"It'll taste a little like fries." The man said.

The boy sniffed it, cautiously licking the surface. It was salty…and did taste somewhat like fries. D'nni put the whole chip in his mouth, chewing and swallowing. Then he ate another and another, all the while staring at Jack. Many times the Warm bloods had tried to make him listen through bribes. He tried to listen to them. They didn't get how hard it was to learn a new language. It wasn't like they were tying to learn _his_ tongue.

* * *

_"What is this?" _

_D'nni looked up at the man who sat across the fire. Daeir shifted uncomfortably beside him, making it clear that he didn't know. _

_The boy examined the picture, recognizing it as the aroof that sometimes came up on the shore to birth. D'nni remembered caring for a sick young one once, holding the small white bundle in his arms. They were white when they were little. _

_But these people didn't want to hear aroof. They wanted to know** their** word for it. _

_"Bear." D'nni said softly. He instantly knew it was wrong. They man kicked burning embers in his direction. _

_"It's a seal!" The Warm Blood snarled. _

_The boy whimpered, drawing close to Daeir for protection. _

_Small burn holes littered his clothes from his previous failures. Sweat poured down his face from the flames that made him nervous and jittery. _

_"Daeir…takihno. Takihno..." **

* * *

**_

Daeir had always been powerful. Strong. The Warm bloods changed that in him. Made him afraid.

D'nni knew it was his fault.

He was the only thing Daeir held dear. The Warm Bloods threatened his life. They had followed him everywhere, eventually not even letting him leave their camp.

He felt like a prisoner again, unsure of what to do.

"See? Aren't they good?" Jack smiled.

D'nni nodded, setting the empty bag aside.

"Why are you afraid?" the man asked softly. "I promise I won't hurt you. Did the people you met look like me?"

The boy nodded after a few minutes of silence.

Jack's face fell, and he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Can I tell you a story?" He asked. D'nni nodded once more, shifting uncomfortably.

Jack sighed, and began

"There once was this man who went from his home to find a way to get someplace faster." The man said. "This man's name was Christopher Columbus. Now this guy has his own holiday here for discovering America, which is where we are now."

D'nni nodded in understanding.

"But this man wasn't nice at all. He came here and took advantage of the people who had lived in this land forever. A lot of them got hurt. Is that what happened to you?"

"Yes." D'nni replied, staring up at the man with watery eyes. "They hurt us."

"They forced you to learn English, didn't they?" The man prodded.

"Yes." D'nni whimpered, all the horrible memories coursing through his mind.

"Did they make everybody?" Jack pushed on.

"Naba…No…" D'nni said, holding the band away from the man. "Me and Daeir."

"And you're name is Sa-Dage D'nni, right?"

This man was asking too many questions, but D'nni was afraid to let him know. All he could do was answer. Maybe he would go away soon.

"Yes."

"Sa's your family name, D'nni is your first…Dage…is that your middle name…or more of a thing that sets you apart?"

The boy whimpered. When would this man leave?

Jack noticed D'nni's discomfort, and drew back.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to know." He said. "Thank-you for listening…or would it be…Gla-ra?"

D'nni cocked his head. The Warm Bloods he knew never tried to use his language.

Maybe Jack _was_ different after all.

"Yes. Gla-ra."

The man smiled, before he left.

* * *


	5. Food

**Spy Guy: A rather random short chappy. There are parts I like, and parts I don't. :D But it's ok. **

**Cordria did some wonderfully awesome fan art for ths story, and another of mine, Masters' weapon. Here's the link. (take out the spaces.)**

http:// www. deviantart. com/ deviation/ 56268196/

**And I also took second place in the Chess peice contest. If you don't know what Chess peice is, it is a DP AU fan comic written and drawn by neoyi. So my prize was a black and white drawing of my choice. It's D'nni. Here's the link. (take out the spaces.) **

http:// www. deviantart. com/ deviation/ 55838150/

And then there's this animation I did of D'nni blinking. It pretty much sucks, but...he's blinking. :D

http:// www. deviantart. com/ deviation/ 53196887/

yeah...

* * *

D'nni had surrounded himself in a circle of food, moving through it quickly, taking fries and bits of hamburger in his mouth. His metabolism was swift, like that of his kind. He had to keep eating.

Maddie had brought him something she called ice cream. Even the name sounded good.

It was something white resting in a lump inside a Styrofoam dish. D'nni wasn't sure what to make of it, until his tongue reached out to touch it.

He was hooked.

The taste was sweet, very sweet, but cold, like home. He remembered one time when the Warm Bloods had spilled his can of fruit on the ice, forcing him to scrape it off the frozen ground. It still had tasted good, but his pride had been hurt.

But, this dish was untainted by that memory. D'nni was calmed by it.

Finally his stomach was full, and he snuggled into bed.

* * *

When morning came, Maddie discovered D'nni huddled in the chair among the cushions. They were arranged in some sort of enclosure, the boy located at the center, his arms held around his body.

"D'nni." Maddie whispered, leaning over the edge. "Wake up."

The boy's head shot up as he panicked slightly, his arms flying out, sending the cushions flying.

He began muttering rapidly in Gla-ki, his head shooting around. Maddie tried to calm him, finally resting her hands on his shoulders, to steady the boy.

He looked at her, continuing his frenzied speech.

"D'nni." The woman said firmly. "I can't understand you. Speak slower."

The boy seemed to realize his mistake, and looked away.

"Dream." He murmured, stroking his band.

"I'm sorry to wake you." Maddie whispered. "But I didn't think you wanted to miss breakfast."

The boy cocked his head, before he stretched his arms over his head.

"Food?" He asked, yawning.

"Yes food. I'll bring you something up."

"What eat?" He smiled.

"You'll see." The woman grinned.

* * *

D'nni held the glass plate tentatively his hands, staring at the yellow mound that rested in the middle. He poked it with his fork, drawing back when it wobbled slightly. He set the plate on the ground, crouching before it and staring. Once more the fork reached out, this time stabbing the yellow right through, obviously killing it. D'nni smiled in his victory, ripping a chunk from the carcass, and sniffing it. It smelled like the eggs the birds left on the rocks…maybe it was a bird, though not one that he had ever caught. The boy placed it in his mouth, chewing. Whatever it was, it was good. His hand moved the plate slightly, but his body tensed when he saw the mound move.

It wasn't dead.

The boy backed up, wielding his fork before him, only to be greeted with a soft giggle from Maddie.

"It's eggs D'nni." She said. "They're not alive. Just take a bite."

The boy shook his head.

"Naba." He replied. "Eggs…yellow…white."

"They're cooked." The woman explained.

D'nni continued to shake his head. He had seen eggs cooked before. They were still yellow and white.

"They're scrambled eggs, D'nni." Maddie continued. "It's made from mixing the two parts of the egg together _before_ cooking it. It's not alive. You can eat it."

D'nni looked to the plate again, holding his fork awkwardly. He poked the mound, tearing off another piece. He sniffed it before placing it in his mouth.

It _did_ taste somewhat like eggs.

He quickly finished the dish, setting his plate aside. He smiled, his stomach temporarily pleased.

"We're going to have to get you on healthier food." Maddie grinned, picking the plate up. "No more fries. They're not good for you."

D'nni wilted slightly.

"Why?" He asked, tilting his head.

"They're filled with fat." The woman said. "I bet you used to eat a lot of fatty foods back on the ice. It would help you get enough energy to hunt. But now you don't need to hunt, and if you continue eating like you do, you'll get sick."

The boy nodded, though he wasn't at all pleased by what he was hearing.

So, the Warm Bloods didn't need to hunt anymore. How did they get food then? Was it located at a certain place where they ventured to? Did they hold some sort of power that made food readily available to them?

Or did they have lesser beings to serve their hunger?

D'nni tried not to think of that last option as he drank a mug full of milk. He knew that animals and his own kind nursed on their mother's milk when they were young. Animal milk was also used to help the sick recover.

This tasted different from what he remembered. It was smooth, clear white and watery. But it still tasted good, and he downed it in a few moments.

Maddie grinned, taking the glass, and leaving the room. D'nni reached down for the cushions, placing them once more around himself in a makeshift enclosure. He felt safe in the small space. It made the overwhelming size of the room disappear. Here he combated his fears of the noises around him, finding each one semi comforting as time wore on. Eventually he peeked over his fortress, observing what was left of the room. He pushed one cushion aside, looking around. Moving was hard, but he managed, and dragged his leg across the floor as he explored. The night before, everything had been too terrifying, but now that the noises didn't scare him, everything was alright. The boy approached the T.V., mimicking Jack by pressing a large button, just like at the hotel. The thing came on with a loud hum. D'nni covered his ears and backed up slightly, staring at the box with apprehension.

Almost instantly it melted away as the familiar white of his homeland greeted him. The boy cocked his head, watching as an aroof…seal, swam through the water, chasing a crowd of fish. It caught one in its mouth, and red filled the water.

D'nni simply sat on the floor, watching in amazement.

Memories of him and his playmates ran through his mind.

Hadn't they always watched the seals as they hunted? It had been a game. They bet on how long it would take for a seal to catch a fish. They had always observed the spectacle from afar. But now he was watching it from the water. The image kept changing from the side, to the front, and even the back.

The creature was so precise in its work. D'nni sadly noted that he may have been able to put some of the seal's tactics to good use if had been able to see this before…

The boy sat in silence, watching the screen…

The seal was crawling onto a chunk of ice. It collapsed beneath it. The poor animal was forced into the water once more. It kept trying and trying, each time the ground fell away and it crashed into the sea. The animal gave a pitiful cry, one full of sadness. It tried and tried, but it never made it. D'nni's attention was only drawn away from the spectacle by the booming voice of a Warm Blood. He instantly covered his ears, not wanting to hear. The voice sounded commanding and angry.

It scared him.

The D'nni reached forward, and turned the box off, returning to his safe hideaway. His mind reeled from what he had seen. The ice had sometimes broken a little, but never like that. When it did break, it came off in huge clean cut chunks.

What had happened?

* * *


	6. D'nni Vs the Rubik's Cube

**Spy Guy: I think that I replied to the people here. I think..,I hope so. Tee. I don't care for this chapter. It's kinda short, but there's some cuteness. But I want to ask you guys. **

**Do you think this moving too fast, or too slow, or whatever. Cause I'm not really sure. hmmm...tell me what ya think. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom. **

* * *

The days seemed long and uneventful to the boy. Without the hunt, D'nni found himself becoming restless and bored, constantly turning the TV on and off, fascinated by the varying animals he saw on the screen, and terrified by the voices he heard.

It was on one of these days, that Maddie seemed to take notice of his unease. She smiled warmly, taking D'nni by his hand, and helping him up. The boy stared at her with wide gray eyes as she took him closer and closer to the door, emerging into the hallway for the first time in weeks. D'nni limped slowly forward, dragging his leg carelessly, simply moving along, attempting to continue on normally.

The sight was almost comical.

"Where we go?" D'nni asked, pausing for a moment.

"My daughter's old playroom." Maddie replied, smiling.

D'nni nodded, accepting the words without question. He didn't know what a playroom was, but if it was a child's, it had to be safe.

* * *

The walls were done in deep pink, accenting the large plush green rug in the middle of the hardwood floor. There were various boxes around, all written on in the Warm Blood's confusing text. D'nni wished he could read it, just to see what they said and if they would tell him what was inside. Besides that, the room was empty, except for a much smaller one of the black boxes, adorned in strange brightly colored shapes. Maddie was rummaging noisily through one of the boxes, finally coming up with a blue ball. She threw it to the boy who caught it in his hands, stumbling backwards slightly.

"It bounces." The woman said, turning back to the contents of the box, smiling as she heard the 'ping' rubber on wood.

D'nni sat on the floor, bouncing the object between his hands, confused at what else to do. It was monotonous work, keeping the ball bouncing.

Not fun at all.

"Here's something you might like." The woman grinned. From the box she drew out a small white seal, covered in soft fur. D'nni's eyes widened as he stared at it.

Where had it come from?

It didn't move, not even when Maddie hurled it in the boy's direction. D'nni panicked, diving forward to catch the animal before it hit the ground.

"It's not real." The woman giggled. "It's fake."

D'nni cocked his head, giving the seal an experimental poke. The fur was much too soft, and not nearly thick enough. No bones gave the creature shape. It was just a lump made to look like a real seal.

But it _was_ soft.

D'nni found himself stroking it, his fingers finding a piece of string around its neck. A small scrap of paper hung from it, words scrawled carelessly in English.

"What say?" He asked, showing the tag to Maddie.

"Gillie." The woman replied, "That's what Jazz named her."

"Not real." D'nni protested.

"Well, here children have to entertain themselves a lot more than you probably had to." Maddie grinned, holding a deck of cards in her hand. "I know that Jazz was left alone a lot when she was little, because Jack and I couldn't be there. So she had a whole bunch of fake animals and people to keep her company. She would use her imagination to pretend they were alive. But you never had to do that, did you?"

D'nni shook his head, picking up the seal, and staring into its glassy brown eyes.

"It's a girl." He said firmly, placing the creature in his lap.

"That's what Jazz said too." Maddie grinned.

"I like her." D'nni replied, poking the creature's soft velvety nose. "Gillie."

The woman laughed, turning back to the box she was exploring.

"Hey, I thought Jazz lost this." She said, reaching down into the cardboard depths. When her hand emerged, she held a strange multi-colored cube in her palm. She showed it to D'nni, who cocked his head in confusion.

"It's called a Rubik's Cube." She said. You have to get each side to be only one color. You do that by twisting it around like this."

D'nni watched as Maddie's fingers gripped the cube, forcefully turning the top so another row of mixed color shown.

"It's very hard. Jazz could never do it. I was sure she threw it away. But here it is." The woman turned to the boy. "Would you like to try, D'nni?"

"Yes." The boy said. He caught the cube in his hands, and for the first time, got a close look at it. The various smaller cubes moved slightly as he touched them. They were not connected…yet they were. The thing confused him. Mimicking Maddie, he turned the top, watching as the colors shifted.

"I'll get you a big thing of fries if you solve it." Maddie smiled.

D'nni's eyes lit up as a huge grin rolled across his face.

"Really?" He asked. "Just match colors?"

"Each side has to be a solid color." The woman said. "Remember that."

"I will." The boy replied, turning his attention to the cube in his hands.

After staring at it for a while…he reached out…

And made the first turn.

Jack sat in the living room, idly flipping through channels with one hand, while digging into a bag of greasy potato chips with the other.

"Jack?" He heard Maddie whisper as she walked down the stairs. Her footsteps were nearly silent as she approached, cradling something in her hand.

"What is it, Mads?" The man asked, leaning over the side of his chair.

"Look at this." Maddie replied, opening her fingers to reveal the Rubik's cube inside. Jack's eyes widened in wonder as he picked the thing up, his beefy fingers poking the sides experimentally, as if the matching colors would fall off.

"Maddie…" He breathed. "I've never seen on of these solved in my whole life. Who did it?"

"D'nni." The woman replied. "It only took him five minutes. He sat on the floor for a few moments, and then started moving it around, and here it is all finished."

"Wow…" Jack murmured. "He's definitely something special."

"The kid loves food, Jack." Maddie grinned. "He did it because I promised him fries."

Jack chuckled warmly.

"If I didn't say any better, I'd think he was my own son." The man grinned. "The food part. The brains he would've gotten from you."

"He _is_ our son now." Maddie replied, leaning down and giving her husband a peck on the cheek. "We're the only people taking care of him. I enjoy having a kid around again. It makes me feel younger."

"Do you think he's going to be alright, Mads?" Jack asked, turning to his wife, concern written across his face. "Do you think that he can live here?"

"I he seems fine." The woman smiled, turning to leave. "But I have to get him his fries before he thinks I lied. He's sensitive isn't he?"

"Get me a burger, please." The man smiled nervously. "A nice triple-decker. Man, it's been a long time since I've had one of those."

"Ok. See you in a few minutes." Maddie called. Jack listened to the door slamming shut and sighed…

* * *


	7. Snow

**Spy Guy: I wanted to update this on Friday the 13th. But I have to hurry. It'll be tomorrow in 3 miniuts. Bye **

* * *

Weeks passed in the home of the Fenton's, dragging everyone along with it through the changing season. The last traces of an Indian Summer wilted away, replaced by the overpowering brown of Fall. D'nni watched from his window as the trees shed their leaves, soon turning into skeletal monsters whose long bony fingers rapped against his windowpane at night.

But none of that mattered when the first sign of frost gathered around the glass in the bleak hours of the morning.

D'nni's eyes were riveted to it, not moving as a sole finger reached out to touch it. The glass was freezing to the touch…

It felt just like ice.

A huge smile poured over the boy's face as he crawled from his bed, finally freed from the cast that had trapped his leg. D'nni went over to the black box and pressed the large button, listening as it came on with a now familiar ping.

Maddie had shown him the different things the box could offer, even leaving behind a chart to help D'nni get between his two favorite channels. He stared long and hard at the piece of white paper, matching up the symbols on its surface with ones on the box itself. After punching the code in, he was met by the strangely squeaky voice of a male Warm Blood who stood in front of what Maddie called a map. She had explained that this channel talked about the weather and would tell him, every ten minutes, what the weather would be like here.

In order to put that knowledge to good use, D'nni had asked if he could learn to count. Maddie had taken the painstaking task upon herself, gently teaching him the names of the numbers. She had told him that the symbols would come later, along with the alphabet.

D'nni was pleased.

Now the boy counted in his head up to the number sixty, just like the woman had told him. When he reached that number, he was to put one of his fingers up to signify that it had been one minute. When all of his fingers were up, that meant that it had been ten minutes and the forecast should be coming up. But because this man was talking, that meant that there were only seven minutes left so he put up three fingers and continued counting.

Finally the moment came when all of D'nni's fingers were up. He waited in silence for the forecast to come on, hoping for the cold weather they had promised. The music played loud and clear, warning D'nni of the possible disappointment that might greet him.

A small click reached his ears, followed by a flash…

The box was blank.

D'nni cocked his head, looking around the room.

It was quiet.

All the noises he had become accustomed to were gone, replaced by an eerie silence that seized his entire mind.

It was too quiet.

"Maddie?" He whimpered, standing up, looking nervously around him. "Maddie?"

The boy fled to his enclosure made from couch cushions, kneeling inside his safe haven, pulling his legs close his chest.

Why was it so silent all of a sudden?

A creaking sound reached D'nni's years, and he pulled farther into the safe-haven.

"Maddie?" He called again.

"I'm here D'nni." The woman's soothing voice whispered. The door opened, and the woman stepped inside. Her face appeared strained even in the dim lighting.

"D'nni. The power went out." She murmured. "The roads are icy this morning. Someone must have hit a telephone pole."

D'nni nodded. Maddie had explained about electricity and how many things depended on it to work. One was the black box.

"Ice?" The boy asked, climbing out of his hiding place.

"Yes. It should snow soon." The woman smiled. "Sometimes it gets really deep here. It'll be like home."

D'nni's eyes lit up as he ran to Maddie, squealing with excitement.

"When snow?" He asked, shaking from pure joy.

"I don't know D'nni." The woman replied. "Very soon though."

"Snow!" The boy grinned, his face glowing brightly.

Maddie laughed slightly, tousling his hair.

"Maybe later, you'll get to go out in it." She smiled. "Just stay here, D'nni. I'll get you something to eat soon."

The boy nodded, feeling comforted by the woman's gentle words.

* * *

Maddie descended the stairs, groping her way through the darkened house. It was still early morning, and the sun wouldn't rise for at least ann hour. She stumbled into the kitchen, opening a cupboard, and blindly rummaging through the objects inside. Finally, she emerged with a small flashlight, that she turned on with a click. A tiny beam of light shot forth, illuminating a small section of the room. The woman sighed, sitting down at the breakfast table, idly playing with the feathers of a decorative wooden turkey.

It was then that a tinny melody echoed through the room. Maddie quickly reached for her cell phone, answering it, hoping the noise didn't startle D'nni.

"Jack?" She asked, when she heard the burly man speak. "Have you picked up Jazz yet?"

_"Ummm…"_ The man stammered on the other end. Maddie gave an exasperated sigh.

"Today's Thanksgiving." She snapped. "Please say that you and Jazz are going to be here."

_"We're not **too **far away."_ The man replied. _"You could say that…we…we"_

"Come on Jack…" The woman coaxed. "I have to get the turkey in."

There was some shuffling on the other end as the phone was passed to another. Maddie was greeted by the voice of her daughter…Jasmine.

_"Hey mom."_ The girl said. _"I think what dad's trying to say, is that...he drove his car into a ditch, and we're stranded here. Can you please come and get us?"_

Maddie smiled at Jazz's familiar attitude. College hadn't changed her a bit.

"Honey, I'll be…" Then Maddie trailed off. "Oh…" She murmured softly.

_"What mom?"_ The girl asked from the other end. _"Please don't say you're actually considering leaving us here."_

"No…I'll be there in a few. Where are you?"

_"In front of the Nasty Burger."_ Jazz replied. _"Please hurry. It's cold out here."_

"I'll be there. Just let me get the turkey in first." Maddie smiled weakly. "I love you sweetie."

_"I love you too mom."_ Jazz replied. _"See you soon."_

When the call ended, Maddie found herself alone in the dark kitchen.

"I can't put the turkey in." She mumbled. "The oven doesn't work."

The woman then got to her feet, ascending the stairs once more. Her hand rapped on D'nni's door before she entered.

The boy was crouched beside his couch fortress, readjusting the cushions in various patterns. A smile spread across his face as he looked up at Maddie.

"Look." He smiled. "Better now."

"It is." Maddie grinned weakly. "But D'nni…" She whispered. His huge gray eyes looked up at her, waiting for her next words.

"I have to go out for a little while." The woman continued. "I have to go get Jack, and my daughter, Jazz. You'll be here alone, alright?"

D'nni nodded slowly. Maddie smiled warmly, waving as she left the room.

"I'll be back soon. Then we'll eat." She called.

"Yes…" D'nni whispered, crawling into his enclosure, stroking the band softly…

* * *

_The boy laughed, jumping around in the light snow. It covered the ground in powdery heaps, inviting him to play. _

_"Daeir!" D'nni called over the expanse of white. "Daeir!" _

_The aging Gla-ki looked up from a weapon he was making, smiling as he watched the young boy manipulate the falling snow around him. _

_"Cas'y." The Gla-ki replied in a warning tone. _

_"Zaaca, Daeir." D'nni grinned, doing a little spin, the snowflakes following the smooth movement of his hands. He was very graceful for a boy his age, using his gifts to make beautiful shows for the firthra, those not of the royal family. He was truly Daeir's son. _

_The old man set the weapon aside watching D'nni as he carefully pieced together fragments of ice into a large crystal snowflake. Its glistening surfaces reflected different colors as it gleamed in the sun. _

_Daeir smiled. _

* * *

"Daeir…" D'nni whispered, his fingers hovering over his band. They now blindly traced the symbols engraved upon the surface, running through the familiar twisting lines. Every time he did, home came painfully back to him. He could see his land of snow and ice. His home where sometimes the moon stayed out for more than just a night. His home where Daeir waited for him, ready to take him hunting. His home where cold surrounded him. His home that didn't have things that scared him.

He wanted to go home.

This place was wonderful, in its own way. So different to see and look at. And Maddie was so kind to him…

But she wasn't his Iaerah…

And this wasn't home.

The boy looked to the room's small window, gazing forlornly at the crystalline frost gathering on its glass pane. It was cold out there. Maybe not as cold as home, but colder than in here. It was never cold enough in this room. He would find himself sitting by the thing Maddie called an air conditioner, forming ice to place on his steaming forehead.

It was getting hot again.

The air conditioner had stopped, and now the gentle breeze it spit forth was gone. D'nni's breath was heating the air around him.

He was getting hot.

Jack and Maddie had sealed the room as tight as a drum, to keep D'nni as comfortable as possible. But now because of that, the room was becoming hotter.

D'nni felt trapped.

The boy crawled from his safe haven, slinking carefully over to the bed. He crawled onto the mattress, reaching up to touch the window.

It felt so good.

The Gla-ki sighed, and put his face against the freezing glass, feeling the welcome cold wash over him.

The he saw it…

Small fat snowflakes were floating past the window, landing on the surface, and melting. D'nni's gray eyes widened at the sight…

It was snowing.

The small icy puffs had him literally hypnotized. He watched them as they fell, one by one, his eyes moving around the window pane. His fingers followed them in their journey from the sky, picking out a new one as an old one disappeared.

It seemed as if they were calling to him…

He had to get out there.

The hallway was dark and silent in the early morning D'nni stood in the room's doorway for a moment, looking cautiously around.

The house was silent.

Floorboards creaked loudly under his feet as he made his way through the hall, past the playroom, and to a long flight of stairs.

He looked down.

The hard wood steps faded into the inky blackness surrounding them, making D'nni pause for a moment.

The exit was at the bottom.

The boy pondered for a moment, sitting on the top step, his eyes still staring down, assessing the situation. His feet rested on the steps below him, slapping experimentally against the wood.

Then he had an idea.

D'nni placed his hands firmly beside him, gripping the wooden stairs tight. Then, he pushed his body forward, easing himself onto the next step. His feet steadied him. D'nni smiled, and repeated the process again, going slowly down each step until he reached the floor. Then the boy stood up, and pulled his sagging black pajama pants back around his waist.

He was here.

D'nni looked around the large living room, trying to remember which of the two doors lead him to the outside.

It had to be the bigger one.

The boy walked forward, his bare feet moving silently over the tile. This was it…

His hand reached forward, grabbing onto the handle. He twisted it like Jack had weeks ago.

After some fumbling, D'nni pulled the door towards him, revealing the outside world.

Snow was everywhere.

It was falling much heavier now, mounds forming over the dead grass. D'nni cried out happily, running out into the white.

Slamming the door behind him.

Snow landed on his clothes, standing out against the black before they melted. The boy laughed as he ran through the growing expanse of white, waving his hands through the air, sending flurries spiraling around him.

The dim moon seemed to follow him as he ran into the woods, throwing well aimed snowballs at tree trunks.

D'nni was having the time of his life.

For a few moments, this place felt like home. It felt like he was playing with his companions again, having snowball fights when they should be hunting.

Just pretending felt great.

* * *

A lone black car swerved along the icy road, its old tires struggling for traction. Snow fell upon the windshield, blocking the driver's view, causing him to cuss and groan as he lost sight of the path in front of him.

The man hissed, running one hand through his gray hair, mumbling under his breath as the car swerved blindly.

He was very tall and thin, his body hunched over he small car's steering wheel. He wore a plain black business suit along with a red tie. A silver ring adorned one of his fingers…

A diamond pressed into the surface.

The man was Vladimir Masters.

His bony fingers gripped the steering wheel as the car suddenly veered out of control, caught on a patch of black ice. He pushed all of his weight into the wheel, trying desperately to stop the vehicle from spinning off the road. The tires squeaked across the pavement, unable to stop its movement.

Vlad cried out as the car slid off the road, its tires running through rough gravel before the rear end toppled into a ditch.

It was stuck.

The man cursed loudly, opening his car door, accessing the damage as he angrily whipped out his cell phone. Vlad stood on the side of the road, his black dress shoes tapping the icy ground impatiently as he waited for someone to answer. Tinny music greeted his ears, followed by a mechanical voice, asking him to leave a message before wishing him a happy thanksgiving. The man snarled, snapping the phone shut, and placing it back in his pocket.

He was trapped here.

The man looked around, searching for a house or driveway that he could go to for help. All he saw were trees…lots and lots of trees.

Sighing, Vlad leaned against his car, holding his arms around himself, trying to push the cold weather from his mind. The snow was now reaching his shins. If it kept up like this…he would be buried by nightfall.

Birds twittered in the trees around him, waking the world up with their song. Vlad found himself smiling slightly, comforted by their melodies…But as he listened, he thought he heard something more.

Something that sounded like laughing.

The man walked a few steps away from the car, peeking around a large tree in his path.

In the distance, he could see a faint shape running through the woods, laughing loudly. It seemed to be moving closer and closer to the road, dancing around in the falling snow.

Vlad's eyes widened when he got a closer look.

It was a kid.

At least he thought it was a kid. The child appeared to be wearing nothing but a thin pair of pajamas. His feet were bare, his hands and face unprotected from the cold. But he seemed utterly unfazed by the weather, and continued laughing, dashing through the trees.

The man stood still as he watched him. It was a child for sure. His breath caught in his throat as the boy neared.

He had blue skin.

Vlad's fingers spun his ring about his finger, moving over the strange symbols etched into its surface. He had always listened to his grandfather's stories with mild interest, but only when he was little did he actually believe they could be true.

In those times, Grandpa Masters would sit him on his lap, and tell him farfetched stories about people who lived in the arctic. He would swear up and down that his father married one, and that he was born from them. Foolish tales told to impress a child… nothing more. Or so it had seemed.

Standing here, in the cold, Vlad could hear his grandfather's tales come back to him in full force.

_"These people loved to dance. All of them were graceful, even the men. They pranced around like women, using their powers to trail powder snow behind them like a veil…" _

Vlad took a step forward, watching the boy with rising interest.

He had always thought his grandfather was lying to him…but maybe…

_"These Gla-ki had their own language too. My mother, she'd always say, "Gla-ityro" when greeting people. She said it meant "Hello from the ice". People thought it was funny when she said it…" _

"Gla-ityro!" Vlad called over to the boy. The child stopped in his tracks, standing dumbly in the snow.

After a few moment's the boy's voice shouted a reply.

"Gla-ityro?" It asked, seemingly confused by the term. Then in broken English he said, "Who you?"

"Vlad Masters." The man replied, walking closer. "Ummm…a…friend…amiayota. Your name?"

"D'nni." The boy cried, standing his ground. "Sa Dage D'nni."

_"They had a strange type of monarchy based around their children. The king got the title ummm…Daeir only when he had a son and heir…or a Dage…I think it was called." _

"And you're a Gla-ki?" The man asked, only a few feet from the boy.

"Yes." D'nni replied nervously. Vlad noticed that the child's hand was clamped around a thick silver band on his wrist.

The markings were like that on his ring.

"Where'd you come from?" The man pressed on. D'nni was nearly trembling now.

"Home." He whimpered.

"Are your parents nearby?" Vlad asked, taking a few more steps forward. "Ummm, your Daeir? Iaerah?"

"Naba." D'nni replied, backing up.

"Where are you staying?" The man inquired, now face to face with the Gla-ki. D'nni looked like he was on the verge of tears. Vlad stared down at him, his eyes gazing into twin pools of gray. Suddenly D'nni cried out, his hand moving making a sharp motion. A flurry of powdered snow flew into the air, hitting Vlad right in the face. The man snarled, clutching his freezing skin, trying to get the ice out of his eyes. He peered through his fingers, watching as D'nni ran away from him.

"Get back here!" He shouted, taking off after the boy. His shoes kept losing traction against the icy ground. D'nni ran like a rabbit, his steps sure and swift. Eventually, the boy was out of sight…and Vlad was left alone in the woods…

* * *

D'nni ran blindly through the trees, his lungs aching from the sudden exertion. He hadn't been outside in weeks. His body wasn't used to the strain.

He hoped he could keep it up.

Now he was desperately trying to find the Fenton home, so he could return to his little enclosure in his room, and go back to waiting for Maddie. That was all he wanted.

He wanted to find Maddie.

The house loomed through the trees, standing as D'nni's only hope for safety. Soon he was at the door, his hand grasping the handle, attempting to turn it. No amount of force could get the door open.

That man would find him.

That man scared him. All men scared him. This one pretended to speak his tongue. Called himself his friend. That was exactly what the Warm Bloods back home had done. They had seemed kind…at first. But then things changed.

He had to get inside.

D'nni yelped as he heard something against the gravel road. Panicked, the boy's back slid across the door as he fell to his knees. D'nni crouched at the bottom of the door, holding his legs close to his body, crying as he stroked the band.

He didn't know what to do.

"D'nni?" A voice called out. "D'nni, what are you doing?"

The boy looked up into Maddie's violet eyes as they stared down at him. In an instant, the boy broke down, words coming out in strangled sobs.

"Why are you outside?" The woman asked, helping the boy to his feet.

"Snow." D'nni whimpered, snuggling into her warm embrace.

It felt strangely welcome.

"It's dangerous out here, D'nni." Maddie explained, taking a ring of keys from her pocket. "What if you had gotten too close to the road? You could have been killed."

"Sorry." The boy replied, falling silent.

Maddie opened the door, ushering D'nni inside.

"Go to your room and calm down." She ordered gently. "Maybe take a little nap. When you're feeling better, we have a surprise."

"Zaaca…" D'nni mumbled, walking through the house in the dawning light.

Maybe he just needed to rest…

Maybe this was all just a dream.


	8. Thanksgiving

**Spy Guy: I know this took awhile, but here it is. the next chapter of stray. And its pretty long too, which will make you guys happy. : D **

**There's a part in this chapter that has a lot of Gla-ki in it, so, to make things easier, I put a little helpful glossry at the bottom. Just scroll all the way down to the bottom, and you should avoid spoilers. : D **

**on another note, I'm having a contest on my Deviant art. Go to the link of my profile page, and search for the journal entitled contest. Details are still sketchy as of yet, but I'm working to get things organized. :D Hope some of you will think about entering. :D **

_Now on to the story. :D _

_

* * *

Snow whipped through the frigid air, pounding any creature trapped out in its frozen domain. Winter had set in the arctic, bringing ice and darkness along with it, plunging the Gla-ki into mild depression. _

_D'nni sat cross-legged on the ground, crafting sharp weapons in his hands, making the icy tips deathly sharp. He smiled at his work, grinning like a little child as he tied one spear-tip to a metal rod with a piece of rawhide. Daeir would be pleased of his son for making something so perfect. He was good at making weapons, just like his Daeir…

* * *

_

"D'nni?" Maddie called softly, her knuckles gently rapping against the door. "Please, D'nni. Are you feeling better?"

"Yes." The boy murmured.

"Can I come in?" The woman asked.

"Yes." D'nni replied.

The door opened slowly, and Maddie's shoes made soft noises against the carpet. She saw D'nni, sitting amongst the chair cushions, the small white seal held in his hands.

"D'nni." Maddie cooed, kneeling beside him. "Did something happen out there?"

"Naba." The boy replied, not taking his attention away from the stuffed seal. Maddie studied his features critically. The boy's eyes were distant, his body trembling slightly. He was soaked from head to foot with melted now, but she could tell that he was not shivering. D'nni would not shiver,

He wasn't cold.

The woman rested a hand on his shoulder, smiling warmly.

"Tell me the truth, D'nni." She said. "Something had to happen out here, or you wouldn't have been so scared. Was it an animal, or maybe a person?"

D'nni shifted slightly, his fingers playing absent-mindedly with Gillie's whiskers.

Maddie frowned, but softly whispered,

"You don't have to say if you don't want to."

"Gla-rah." D'nni replied, never looking up from the seal. The woman sighed, heading for the door. "I have someone who would like to meet you D'nni." She murmured. "My daughter, Jazz. She wants to meet you."

"Jazz?" The boy asked, peering cautiously from over his fortress. "Daughter?"

"Yes." Maddie grinned. "I think you two will get along great. Jazz, come in. He's feeling better."

D'nni watched the door intensely, his eyes widening as it slowly slid open along its quiet hinges. A pale face peered inside, two vibrant turquoise eyes looking out into the room. Bright red hair fell over her face as she straightened the teal headband that kept the silky mess back. She wore a simple black sweater, and a pair of teal slacks that barely covered her long legs.

"This is him?" The girl asked, a huge smile breaking across her face. D'nni drew back into his hiding place, his fingers clasped around the band.

"He's just had a fright." Maddie whispered. "But he's really very sweet."

Jazz walked forward, slowly kneeling by D'nni's side.

"Do you like the snow, D'nni?" She asked, still grinning broadly.

"Zaaca…" Came the soft reply from inside the chair stronghold.

Jazz turned to her mother in confusion.

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"I think it means yes." Maddie murmured.

"Amazing." The girl smiled, poking her head over a cushion. "Do you like it here?"

"Yes." D'nni replied, staring at the intruder intently, noting that her smile matched that of her mothers.

"How so you say hello in your language?" Jazz asked, the smile on her face literally contagious. D'nni felt his lips drawing back, pulling upward into a lopsided grin.

"Gla-ityro." He replied. "Hello from ice."

"Gla-ityro." Jazz giggled, pulling back one of the cushions. D'nni watched as her vibrant eyes locked onto the small stuffed seal resting in his lap.

"Gillie." The girl laughed. "I remember Gillie. She was one of my favorite. Awww…You two look so cute together."

Alarms went off in D'nni's head as the girl crept into his safe haven, sitting beside him. There was an intruder in his stronghold.

"I got Gillie for my birthday one year." The intruder pressed on. D'nni nodded, cautiously inching away from the girl. Maddie noticed, and walked over, tapping Jazz gently on the shoulder.

"He doesn't like people being so close to him." She said softly.

"I see." Jazz murmured, her smile fading.

"Let's let him sleep a little." Maddie replied. "He must be tired. He had a big day this morning." The woman smiled warmly, leading her daughter toward the door.

"You and I have to make a turkey dinner without power…won't that be fun?"

* * *

Vlad growled in frustration, slamming his back against a tree, breathing in the harsh cold air around him. Snow clung to his hair and clothes, freezing his skin, and slowing his movement. The man cursed under his breath, pulling his weary body into a standing position once more. His legs struggled to move through the thickening snow, making slow painful progress blindly through the woods. After what seemed like an eternity, Vlad collapsed, his face hitting the cold ground.

"Fudge buckets…" He snarled, weakly pushing his frozen body into a sitting position. The cold air burned his lungs making breathing difficult.

"This is stupid." The man groaned. "I have Gla-ki blood, and I'm going to die in the snow."

The old man began coughing harshly, his throat burning in the chilled air. Vlad stared down at the ring that still rested on his finger. It was a memory of the wild blood than ran in his veins. It came from a race that lived in the harsh elements. They wouldn't haven been suffering out here. They would have embraced the ice, and danced among it. It would have been at their mercy.

But that strain in his blood was too weak. He couldn't do any of those things. The years had whittled most traces of Gla-ki from his family. He wanted nothing more than to learn to harness his hidden powers. He knew they were there.

He just had to bring them out.

The snow continued its onslaught, no longer gentle and kind. It pelted Vlad's skin like sharp icy knives, showing no mercy to his vulnerable form. If he stayed out here much longer, he might end up loosing a limb…or maybe even die…Vlad looked around the woods, threw his pride to the wind, and cried out, hoping that his pleads would be heard…and answered.

"Help!" The man bellowed, before launching himself into a frenzy of coughing. His form shivered and quaked from exertion, and his brain urged him to continue his begging…

But his body refused.

Vlad slumped down in the snow, fear clutching at him. He was going to die here…he was going to die like an idiotic hiker, not like the proud businessman he was. An ironic ending to one with wild blood; to die in the elements his ancestors walked among. He felt foolish, sitting in the rising white, whimpering to himself as he grew hysterical…

"Help me…" He shivered. "Help…please?...Takihno…Takihno…"

He didn't even notice the dark shape that stood before him. Vlad was lost in his own world, fiddling madly with the ring on his finger…

And it was that ring that drew the shape's attention.

* * *

Maddie and Jazz were in the living room, fiddling with the turkey, attempting to impale it with a spit and hang it in the dead fireplace Finally, they lay the bar down on its holds, sighing with relief.

"Now we just have to wait for Jack to come back with some wood." Maddie smiled, wiping her hands on her festive sweater, leaving bits of soot and rust. Jazz grinned back, slumping into a chair around the fireplace, craning her neck towards the window.

"I hope he comes back soon." She sighed, staring for a while at her hands, before discreetly rubbing them on the chair's armrests. Maddie took no notice. She simply nodded, and sat down on the couch, staring out at the steadily falling snow.

"We've never had it this bad at this time of year." She mused, searching for Jack's dark outline. "It must be home for D'nni."

"He seems very nice." Jazz replied, her smile growing. "But why is he so jumpy? Is he just scared?"

"He _is _scared." The woman answered calmly. "From what he's shared with us, our kind came to his home, looking for silver and diamonds. D'nni and someone he calls Daeir were forced to learn English. Our kind treated him pretty badly."

"Oh…" Jazz murmured, shifting slightly. "You should have told me sooner. I never would have gotten that close to him."

"I wanted to see how he would react." Maddie replied softly. "He needs to get used to seeing strangers…once he's recovered… your father and I have to decide what to do with him. If we present him to the board, we might get another grant to continue our research."

"But they'll take him away." The girl protested, sitting up in her chair.

"I know, Jazz." The woman whispered. "I don't want to do that to him…but if we keep him, we won't get another chance to explore the arctic. We can't afford to make another trip alone."

"He trusts you." Jazz snapped.

"Then we might not go back." Maddie sighed. "Your father's always wanted a son. But…I don't know…would it be humane to keep D'nni here when the weather gets hot? He can barely stand it now, when it's snowing…I just don't know…"

The two were dragged from their conversation as a pounding from outside rattled the door.

"Maddie! Open up!" A voice cried. "Open the door, please!"

"Jack?" Maddie gasped, jumping to her feet. She seized the door's handle, and pulled it inward, allowing a very snowy Jack to tumble inside, something held tight against his chest.

"What's wrong?" The woman asked, approaching her husband. Then she stopped when she saw what he was carrying.

It was a body.

"Maddie…" Jack murmured. "I was getting wood from the shed when I heard him crying for help. When I got to him, he was mumbling under his breath…something in another language, or maybe just gibberish. He's looks in a bad way, Mads."

Maddie looked at the man's frozen face, reaching out to touch it.

"He could be in trouble, Jack." She replied, her face growing hard. "We need to get him warmed up. Jazz…" She turned to her daughter. "Get some blankets from the closet upstairs. Come on, Jack. Let's get him into a chair."

The man hoisted his cargo into the nearest chair, brushing snow and ice from the body's clothing. A few moments later, Jazz hustled down the stairs, carrying a bundle of quilts that she and her mother tucked around the man's shivering form.

As they were working, the man's eyes flickered open for a moment, resting on Maddie's nervous face.

"An angel…" he whispered, smiling dreamily.

Maddie stiffened at the man's words, pausing slightly. After a moment, she got to her feet, leaving the last blanket on the ground.

"I'm going to call an ambulance. Jazz, go check on D'nni to make sure he's alright."

The man had fallen to silence, his eyes glancing lazily at his surroundings. He said nothing as the warm blankets began to thaw out his body...he said nothing as he was patiently tended to…

He said nothing as his being hung on to the one word that had cut through the haze of his mind…

D'nni…

The boy came from here…

* * *

Maddie sighed as she placed the phone back on its charger, her hand moving up to her forehead. She was vaguely aware of Jack entering, a hot water bottle in his hands.

"They're on their way." She whispered. "They said he was a lucky man."

"Oh Mads." Jack smiled, wrapping his huge arms around his wife. "I know you wanted a nice quiet Thanksgiving, but…we're the Fenton's. Here, things don't work like that."

"I know." The woman replied. "Can't blame me for trying."

"I have something that can make it up to you." The man said, pulling back. He set the water bottle on the counter, and reached into his pocket, removing a silver ring. He held it in his palm and showed it to his wife.

"It's that man's." He said, poking it with his thick finger. "He was lying in the snow, mumbling to himself, fiddling with this. He kept saying Takihno over and over again."

Maddie took the ring, running her fingers over the elaborate carvings.

"It's like D'nni's bands." She murmured, holding the ring up to the candlelight. "…Made of silver...the same markings…Takihno…"

She turned to face her husband.

"Jack…he can't be. His skin…"

"I know, Maddie." The man replied. "But…I don't know, you know? I came up with a theory."

"What?" Maddie asked, handing the ring back.

"D'nni said that people like us lived with his kind, right?" Jack asked.

Maddie nodded.

"Well then…" The man continued. "What if…we're compatible, like a donkey and a horse? What if the Gla-ki can have half-human offspring and vice versa? You know what I'm saying?"

"I do." Maddie replied, her eyes widening. "It's a lot like children of different racial backgrounds during the time of the explorers. When the men went up to the north, some may have fallen for Gla-ki women…and they had kids…"

"And those kids looked like us." Jack said, picking up where his wife left off.

"So that man out there…" Maddie whispered, pointing towards the living room.

"He has Gla-ki blood…"

* * *

D'nni held Gillie close to his body, playing idly with her whiskers. The room was growing hot fast. He wanted out. He wanted to go down into the house and be with Maddie. He wanted her to bring him bags of ice that he could put on his forehead, or maybe a snow ball that he could hold until it was only a damp memory on his clothes. All he knew was that it was warm.

A moment later, the door slowly opened, and Jazz poked her head inside. She smiled before entering.

"Hey, D'nni." She said, sitting on the boy's bed. D'nni looked at her for a moment, before stealing to his cushion fort, Gillie in tow.

"The turkey's cooking." The girl pressed on, seemingly unfazed. "Have you ever seen a turkey?"

"Bird, right?" The boy asked, peeking his head over the castle wall.

"Yeah. How do you say bird in your language?"

"Oh…" He murmured, drawing back inside. "Aik…

"Aik? That's a strange word." Jazz grinned. "Could you tell me more?"

D'nni hesitated, peering out at the girl from the safety of his fort. The two locked eyes, staring intensely for a few drawn out moments. Finally D'nni replied.

"Zacca." He said, crawling from his hiding place.

* * *

_"Rioa, D'nni.(1)" Daeir smiled, fixing a silver ring around his forehead. _

_"Zacca, Daeir." The boy replied, putting on one of his own. He pulled at his animal skin tunic, and adjusted the thick band around his neck. _

_"Tira Lein Gla-Aik, Daeir.(2)" D'nni laughed, forming a snowball in his hands. _

_"Gla-rah, Jei N'ni.(3)" The man replied, taking the gift. The two ran across the ice, dodging through the crowd gathering there. The sun shone dimly on the horizon… _

_It was here…the day of the ice bird. _

_The two reached a platform high above the ocean, and stopped at the edge, smiling to each other as the waves crashed below them. _

_"_ _Mo.__(4)" Daeir whispered in his son's ear. He handed him the snowball, smiling warmly. D'nni's face lit up in excitement, and he held the object to his chest. _

_"Gla-rah, Daeir." He laughed, his gray eyes sparkling. His hands began moving over the snowball, hardening it to ice, changing its shape. Soon, a head formed, followed by a pair of wings. After only a few moments D'nni held a small carving of a bird between his fingers. Daeir nodded approvingly, and pointed towards the rising sun. _

_"Ta N'ni gie ta L'li." He said. "Ta sa." (5) _

_D'nni nodded, holding the carving above his head. He kept it suspended there for only a moment, before dropping it into the waves below. _

_Around him, the spectators cheered, their cries running along the smooth ice, reaching his ears, giving him a great sense of accomplishment. The boy turned, facing them, waving his hands in the air. _

_"Tira Lein Gla-Aik!" He shouted, a grin spreading across his face. "B'rala, naba." (6) _

_

* * *

_

"Well, it's done." Maddie smiled, placing the turkey on a huge platter on the table. D'nni cowered in his chair, looking at his surroundings nervously. The power had yet to come on, but the others didn't seem to be phased. Jazz was even wearing a coat.

"This is called Thanksgiving." Maddie explained, handing Jack the carving knife. "It's a holiday we celebrate here in America. It's a time for families to get together, and be with each other."

"Oh…" D'nni murmured, staring blankly at the table. The woman took a seat beside him, handing over a clean plate.

"You get to eat your heart out D'nni." She grinned slyly.

The boy's face lit up like a light.

"Zacca!" He cried, a smile smearing across his features as Jack set a slab of turkey down on his plate.

"Gla-rah." He said, nodding before stabbing it with his fork. The meat was slightly burnt, but still good. It was a welcome warmth, and one that he found himself wanting more of.

Soon the meat was gone, and he found his eyes glancing at the other foods on the table.

"Do you like fruit?" Jazz asked, picking up a plate with a strange cylindrical wobbling mass resting on top.

D'nni's eyes widened in fear.

"It's not alive, D'nni." Maddie giggled, catching the boy's reaction. They're jelled cranberries. Very good. Try some."

D'nni nodded, and reached forward with his fork, taking the whole roll and plopping it down on his plate. Jazz was about to protest, when Maddie shook her head, a wry smile on her face.

D'nni held his fork awkwardly in his hand, poking at the roll experimentally before cutting off a huge chunk, and popping it into his mouth. His eyes lit up in excitement, and he quickly scarfed down the entire thing, immediately searching for more. Everyone at the table laughed.

"Do you have any holidays where you come from, D'nni?" Maddie asked, taking a helping of stuffing. "Celebrations? Traditions?"

"Yes." The boy replied, accepting a mound of mashed potatoes. "Lein Gla-Aik. Day of ice bird."

"What was that like?" The woman inquired, leaning forward on her elbows.

"D'nni told me this story earlier." Jazz broke in. "Can I tell it D'nni?"

"Yes." The boy replied, digging into his potatoes.

"The day of the ice bird is centered around an old Gla-ki legend." The girl began. "It tells of D'nni's home when it was kept in an everlasting winter. During this time, the sun never shone. The Gla-ki became desperate, and tried to find ways to bring light to their home. It was a little girl who discovered the answer: Fire. The tribe embraced the new light, but were unsure how to control it. Gla-ki died in the flames. The people forced the girl to help them, throwing her into the fire, believing that she could fix it…but she burned to death just like the others. The Gla-ki realized their mistake, and put out all of the remaining fires, but they couldn't undo the damage they had caused. They cried over the bodies of the dead, freezing them with their tears. The legend then tells of an icy bird that burst from the carnage. It flew into the sky, and magnified the glow of a distant star…creating light. It's said that the bird stays in the sky until it melts, and falls back into the sea. Then, on the anniversary of the miracle, a small statue is thrown into the water, and is said to head into the sky to bring the light back again. The honor belongs to someone of the royal family. D'nni said he did it once."

"That's an amazing story." Maddie said, looking at the boy.

D'nni blinked a few times, before taking another bite of mashed potatoes. A small smile spread across his face as he ate.

"What else to eat?" He asked, pointing to his emptied plate. The others laughed, listing off various suggestions, caught up in the spirit of the holiday.

Their minds weren't thinking of the mysterious man they had all seen earlier. They weren't thinking of his strange connection to the Gla-ki…

Vlad Masters was the last person on any of their minds...

But they were the first on his...

* * *

_Dun dun dun..._

_words to prevent spoilers_

___words to prevent spoilers_

___words to prevent spoilers_

___words to prevent spoilers_

___words to prevent spoilers_

___words to prevent spoilers_

___words to prevent spoilers_

_Glossary_

_(1). Rioa D'nni--Hurry D'nni_

_(2). Tira Lein Gla-Aik, Daeir--Happy Day of the Ice Bird, Daeir. _

_(3). Gla-rah, Jei N'ni--Thank you Little Moon (N'ni is D'nni's birth name. Jei means small or little. Jei N'ni is Daeir's pet name for D'nni." _

_(4). Mo--You_

_(5). Ta N'ni gie ta L'li...ta sa--The moon brings the sun...the waves. (Daeir is commenting on D'nni's name meaning moon, and the reason for the ritual, as explained later in the chapter. "The waves" is Daeir telling D'nni to throw it into the sea. In Gla-ki, D'nni's family name, Sa, also means waves.)_

_(6). B'rala, naba--No more blood. (B'rala is the Gla-ki term for blood, but they also use it for death. The reason for this is explained later in the chapter) _


	9. Gla sou

**Spy Guy: Ummms yeah. **

**I can't tell you how stuck I was for this chapter, and Is till hate how it came out, but I can't think of anything better at the moment. It's kind of a boring little area that D'nni's in. I'm having issues. soo...yeah. **

**_Dreams_**

_Flashbacks_

* * *

**Three months later**

* * *

**_D'nni held his spear tight in his hand, raising it above his shoulder in preparation to throw. Behind him, the rest of the hunting party stood in silence, crouched amongst the jagged shoreline. D'nni's eyes locked onto the body of one of the plump foreign seabirds the warm bloods had brought with them. Scrips, Daeir had called them…_**

**_They were fair game._**

**_D'nni hurled his spear through the air, striking his target with deadly force. The creature let out a pitiful squawk and tried to fly away, its wings flailing around wildly. Another Gla-ki moved toward it, holding his spear in front of his body, ready to finish the bird off. He drew close, his hand reaching for the metal shaft that protruded from the animal's bloodied down. _**

**_"Zaaca." D'nni grinned, as the hunter swiftly snapped the bird's neck. The man waved it above his head, cheering his victory._**

**_Then his body gave a violent jerk backwards. _**

**_A sudden loud crack had ripped through the air, raising startled gasps from the hunting party. A cry tore from the Gla-ki's throat as he drew his arm close to his body, dropping his catch on the icy shoreline. _****_Red seeped through his fingers as he desperately tried to stem the flow of blood from a strange deep wound in his side. _****_D'nni gasped, running to his companion's side, taking the man's arm in his hands. What could have attacked so suddenly? No animal could._**

**_So what was it? _**

**_The man was shaking now, leaning on the prince for support. His gray eyes were filled with tears, confusion apparent in his gaze._**

**_"Beh vairen…" He whimpered. "Zagra?"(2)_**

**_"Argai." D'nni replied, forming ice around his friend's wound. "Gahartla, amiayota." (4)_**

**_"Don't move!" A sudden voice boomed over the ice. D'nni looked up, his eyes locking onto the tall, thickly clothed forms gathering around them._**

**_Warm Bloods… _**

**_Clutched in their hands were long, bulky, metal sticks with holes at the end._**

**_"Ta S'rala-ki." One of the Gla-ki whispered, climbing from his hiding spot. "Nahk, Dage?" (5)_**

**_"Nabata."(6) The prince replied, holding his friend closer._**

**_He recognized the warm blood's leader near the front, clumsily slipping a piece of metal into his foreign weapon. _**

**_Beside him was another man, younger, less muscular, with dark black hair poking out from beneath his hat. He was beckoning for a young Gla-ki maiden to come closer, a warm smile on his reddened features.. _**

**_"Now's your chance, Aik." The man murmured softly, gently taking her hand. "Which one's your brother? The Dage? Please point to him for me."_**

**_"Aik?" D'nni whimpered, drawing back. His body felt numb as he stared up at her. _**

**_She was dead…she had disappeared…no one ever came back from the ocean…no one._**

**_Not even his sister… _**

**_"Please point to him." The man urged._**

**_Aik's pale hand slowly left her side, and D'nni watched in silence as her index finger aimed straight for his face, unwavering. He held his now unconscious friend even tighter, as if the body would gain him pardon for whatever he had done._**

**_"Alright." The man said, leading Aik away._**

**_"Naba!" D'nni cried out, the world snapping together with painful clarity. The warm blood was taking his sister away. He had to stop him. _**

**_Another crack shattered his thoughts, and D'nni watched as a boy collapsed beside him. _**

**_"Naba!" He shouted as more shots echoed around him. One by one, each member of the hunting party fell, struck by an invisible force. The waves from the ocean lapped up the blood as it ran in small red rivulets across the ice. _**

**_"Naba." D'nni whimpered, falling to his knees amongst the carnage, still cradling his friend in his arms. The hunting party lay dead around him, killed by the warm blood's strange weapons. _**

**_"Ziaj s'rala-ki." The prince growled through clenched teeth, fixing the leader with his gray eyes. "B'rili."(7)_**

**_There was yet another shot, followed by a fire that seemed to burn within his arm. The boy reached his hand to the wound, feeling the strange warmth of his blood. A haze spread over his mind as he sat on the ice, nursing his injury. He stared at it in disbelief, reaching inside, pulling out one of the strange pieces of metal he had seen the warm blood slipping into his weapon. _**

**_It was them._**

**_They were murderers._**

**_D'nni weakly attempted to hang onto his friend as the Warm Bloods pulled the body from his grasp. The man was still breathing. He was alive. _**

**_"Please." D'nni whimpered, spitting out one of the few warm blood words he knew. He hoped his plea would be heard… but he knew he was dealing with monsters. The carnage all around him was proof of that. Why was he not dead like the others? Why had his sister been with them? Why had she pointed to him? Were they going to spare his life? Why were they doing this? _**

**_Why…_**

**_The hunter was ripped from his arms, and mercilessly tossed into the ocean with a loud splash. D'nni struggled to his feet, weakly pushing the Warm Bloods away. _**

**_"Keshiay!" He spat, throwing a flurry of snow into one man's face. The warm blood reeled back, cursing in his strange tongue. _**

**_"Don't kill him!" The leader screamed. _**

**_D'nni edged across the ice, always keeping his front to the advancing warm bloods. His boot made contact with something hard and he paused. The boy reached down ,quickly wrenching a spear from one of his fallen comrade's dead grip, whispering a soft prayer. D'nni brandished his new weapon, moving his hand over the broken icy tip, renewing it._**

**_Then…he struck. _**

**_The spear sunk through a man's stomach with a sickening squelch, and D'nni felt the warm spray of blood on his face. He yanked his weapon free, and swung it around in an arc, catching another Warm Blood in the side._**

**_He continued his assault, dodging the men as they clumsily slipped over the ice, making futile attempts to restrain him. D'nni ripped and hacked; snow flew about his body, lashing out at his attackers when they attempted to sneak up on him. Rage drove him on…revenge for the murder of his friends…_**

**_The hunters were what the Gla-ki depended on…_**

**_And now there was only one left. _**

**_A Warm Blood grabbed onto the spear's shaft, pulling on it violently. D'nni snarled like a wild animal, trying to get it back. Next thing he knew, something slammed down hard on the back of his skull, making stars burst across his vision. The boy collapsed in a heap, his grip loosening on his weapon. The Warm Bloods laughed raucously, wasting no time in wrapping a thick cord around his wrists, binding them tightly together. _**

**_As darkness oozed over his vision, D'nni caught one last look at his friends on the shore…_**

**_Unmoving…still…_**

**_And he couldn't help but think…_**

**_Had they been the lucky ones?..._**

* * *

Sun trickled in through the window, casting itself across the Gla-ki as he subconsciously dug his fingers into the fabric below him. Slowly, his eyes opened, and he stared blankly at the far wall, lost in deep thought.

Why did he remember that day now? For so long he had pushed it aside, forcing it into the farthest reaches of his mind.

Why now?

D'nni lay in silence, playing the event over and over in his mind. Outside, melting snow fell from the trees in wet droplets, disappearing in the heat of early spring.

So much had happened…

A great wooden desk now sat against the wall, covered in papers and brightly colored books. Maddie had decided that it was time for him to begin his lessons in reading and writing. The work was painstaking, and sometimes frustrating, but he plodded along every day, earning food and new toys every time he accomplished something. Already, he could read a few of the words on the TV screen when he watched it.

Looking for a way to forget his troubling dream, D'nni slid from his bed, padding over to the desk, sitting down in a soft leather office chair. The boy picked a few papers from a messy pile, and set them down before him, staring at the strange symbols written across their surface. He had discovered quickly that the letter systems used by the Warm Bloods and the Gla-ki, were very similar. There were the same amount of letters, and they worked the same way. For instance, the letter 'L' would be a triple slash in Gla-ki, even going as far to make the same sound.

He had been lightly scolded for trying to make that point clear. Maddie had said that languages don't work that way. But fortunately, it had, and D'nni found it so much easier.

He had already begun doing his work for the day, when a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in." He said, not even looking up. Over the months, his accent had faded, leaving him able to pronounce his words so much clearer.

The door clicked open, and Maddie appeared, holding a tray of food for him, her warm smile instantly brightening the room.

"D'nni, here you go." She said, setting the meal down on the bed. The boy looked over, all memories of his dream pushed aside as he saw the yellow mound of eggs resting on a huge glass plate.

D'nni ran to it, a wide grin showing off his white teeth.

"Gla-ra." He said, sitting beside the tray on the mattress, taking a fork in his hands, and digging in.

Maddie watched him, still smiling, yet seeming nervous at the same time. D'nni fixed her with his gray eyes, staring, wanting to know what was on her mind.

"D'nni." The woman began, shifting slightly on her feet. "Jack and I have to leave today. Alright? To go to work. We'll be back very late."

"Leaving?" D'nni whimpered, the egg dropping from his fork. "All alone?"

"You'll be fine, D'nni." Maddie continued, her smile never wavering. "Just stay in the house, alright? We're going to lock all of the doors, and the windows. You'll be fine."

D'nni nodded, solemnly taking another bite of his breakfast. Memories from the last time he had been alone sparked to life, mingling with his dream from the night before.

He tried to hide his fear.

"Just don't go outside, D'nni." The woman urged. "No one can get you in here."

The boy looked up with his huge gray eyes, suddenly holding out his hand.

"Gla-sou." He said firmly. "Promise."

"I promise, D'nni." Maddie replied, holding out her own hand. D'nni placed his fingertips against hers, pulling them into his fist.

_"Seh b'rala iuan._

_Gla-sou yiaruae._

_Beh b'rili shriku, _

_Mo ziaj beh."_

The boy whispered the words softly, pulling Maddie's hand to his heart.

"What does that mean, D'nni?" The woman asked.

"I can't translate…" The Gla-ki sighed, letting Maddie's hand go, turning back to his meal.

* * *

"Jack." Maddie called, walking into the living room. Her husband was slipping on a bright orange jacket over his clothes, fumbling with the buttons on the front.

"What is it, Maddie?" He asked, looking up.

"D'nni showed me something." The woman replied, smiling broadly. "It was like a pinky swear. Here. Hold out your hands.

Confused, but intrigued, the man held out his hands, allowing Maddie to place her fingertips against his, and pull them into her fist.

"He did it like this. And then he drew them close to his heart."

The woman placed her husband's hands over her chest, grinning. His face flushed slightly.

"I think I like that kind of pinky swear." The man said, smiling goofily.

"Jack." Maddie scolded, pushing the man away. "It's important to him."

"I know Mads." Jack replied, continuing to fumble with his coat. "I was just teasing you."

"I know." The woman said, coming to her husband's aid. "But, we need to decide what we're going to do with him. If we keep him a secret, there's a chance we won't be able to hold our jobs."

"I know Maddie. " The man replied solemnly. "The way things are changing, people don't need arctic researchers who're studying a race that may never have existed. They'll want us to look for oil, or figure out how seals can be made into fuel."

"I never thought we'd find something like D'nni." Maddie sighed, pulling on her own coat. "So much has happened to him. It would be cruel to hand him over to the others."

"I think that we should keep him." Jack beamed, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders. "Besides. Who needs seals anyway?"

"Don't let D'nni hear you say that." The woman laughed, slipping on her shoes, and walking out the door.

* * *

Vlad sat in a large plush chair, cradling a small leather-bound book in his lap. The walls of his study were done in a deep green that accented the rustic elements. He enjoyed having an outdoor feel in the room where he spent most of his waking moments. It made him feel more at peace, even in the heart of Amity Park. He had been stationed there for months, working through a deal with a very rich and fickle client. At first, it had seemed torture, but that was before his ill-fated trip through the countryside, and his meeting with the Gla-ki boy.

In that house, where he had been dragged by that crude bear of man, was a link between him and his ancestors. Flipping through the book, Vlad came to an entry written by his great grandfather, who had first met the Gla-ki out on the ice, and had fallen in love with a beautiful maiden.

It was his great grandfather's journal that he held in his hands. It contained everything he would ever need to know about the boy staying in the Fenton's home….because he was mentioned quite frequently.

_June 5th, 1915._

_Aik surely never warned me of her brother's willpower. He is like a flame that refuses to be extinguished. I watch him from my tent as the boss attempts to teach him English. For a prince, D'nni is as noble as they come. He refuses to put his people in danger, and so submits… and yet he is still stronger than any of ours…_

Another important piece was hidden among the pages, towards the end…

_Today, Aik presented me with a ring made of silver and diamonds. It's a mixture of Gla-ki and human tradition. It means that we are married. When we pull away from here, we can start a family…maybe even have children._

Vlad chuckled darkly, twisting the ring around his finger.

The boy and he were related…

And it was time he paid his great uncle a visit.

* * *

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

- Glossary

I decided to skip the number one...for some reason...so (2)-what happened?

Skipped three too

(4)-Don't know...Hang on, friend.

(5)-The warm bloods...what should we do, Dage?

(6)-Nothing

(7) Lying warm blood...murderer.


	10. Approaching Storm

_**Spy Guy: Short Chappy, and a cliffie that you're going to hate me for. meh .:D **_

_**I relly hate this new document thingy. It doesn't support my italics if I cut and paste. (because the majority of my stories are in one file.) So I'm sorry if something seems like it should be accented. My apologies. :D **_

_**Glossary at the bottom. enjoy. :D **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom. **_

* * *

_"Daeir!" D'nni cried, desperately trying to hold on to a crumbling shelf of ice. The cold water lapped against his body, threatening to drag him under._

_His hands kept slipping across the ice, his fingers not yet able to grip onto the sleek surface. _

_"Takihno!" The small boy shrieked, a wave of salt water splashing into his mouth, causing him to choke. Through bleary eyes, he could see a small group of figures running across the snow, quickly reaching him. One was familiar, with a pale blue face contorted by fear._

_"D'nni. Gahartla." _

_Recognizing the figure as Daeir, D'nni weakly reached out for him, his small hand attempting to grasp his father's. Daeir dropped to his knees, reaching out as well, his hand only inches away from his son's. _

_"Tair." The man whispered. "D'nni, Gahartla." (1)_

_"Naba." D'nni whimpered, shaking his head. "Daeir, beh vairen." (2)_

_"Gahartla, D'nni." The older Gla-ki cried, leaning forward. "D'nni."_

_Suddenly, the ice cracked. The loud sound echoing through the boy's ears. A wave rammed into his side, cold and powerful, taking him in its hold, pulling him down to the depths of the sea. D'nni choked as water poured into his lungs, turning his insides to ice. It was then, that a pair of strong arms circled around him, holding his freezing body close to its chest. He was aware of his half-conscious form being raised through the water and emerging back into the cold air. _

_The boy felt his body dragged across the smooth ice, as blurred figures gathered around him. Hands pushed against his chest, and he could feel himself heave up the salty water from his lungs. D'nni coughed, finding himself drawn into someone's embrace. Looking up, he could see that it was Daeir, his hair wet, and the silver ring he wore for a crown askew on his head. He was crying, holding his son tight to his body, murmuring a prayer in Gla-ki. _

_"Jei N'ni." He whimpered. "Beh Dage." _

_"Nahk, Daeir?" The small boy asked, opening his blurred eyes. _

_"Dene, Aik?" (3) Daeir asked, his voice cracking. _

_"Laa." D'nni whispered, tears forming in his stinging eyes. " Ian shriku laa." (4)_

_"Oh…Jei N'ni." The elder Gla-ki choked, holding his son tighter to his chest._

* * *

D'nni lounged on the rug in Jazz's playroom, staring at a massive puzzle spread out before him. Blinking his gray eyes, he set another piece in place, completing the frame. He smiled to himself, reaching over to a can of peaches beside him, stabbing one sharply with a fork. As the boy chewed, he turned his attention to the window. The sky outside was overcast, and the clouds seemed to be arguing amongst themselves, debating whether or not to snow again, or to shower the frozen ground with a spring rain.

Jasmine's small white TV was on in the corner of the room, tuned in to a local weather station. D'nni watched it out of the corner of his eye as he ate his meal and worked on his puzzle.

The puzzle was 5,000 pieces, and it created an artwork of beautiful fruit, including the peaches that he loved. The pieces were so small, and they varied in size, but not shape, making it hard to distinguish one from another. D'nni had watched Maddie struggling with it for weeks, barely managing to place fifty pieces.

He was almost done, rewarding himself for his good work with prizes of canned peaches, just as Maddie and Jack would do. Pausing once more in his work, D'nni took the tin in his pale hands, bringing the rim to his lips, drinking in the sweet syrup. He had never tasted something so sweet. He remembered the warm milk that he was once given when he was sick, and even the small round, sugary treats that the Warm Bloods used to throw at him when they drank their putrid water. The syrup in the can was his favorite, and D'nni always saved the best for last.

Suddenly, his attention was averted from his prize, when a loud sound, akin to a scream, sounded from the TV's small speakers. Instantly, the syrup was forgotten, and he found that his eyes were glued to the screen as he desperately tried to make out the words floating in the scrolling red bar at the bottom.

"That's where they tell you all of the really bad stuff." Jack had said one night, as a massive blizzard closed in around them. "Eventually they'll say it themselves, but first, they have to finish what they've already started."

"They'll say what's down there." D'nni thought to himself, reaching forward to turn up the sound, hoping that the siren wouldn't sound again. The Warm Blood, a beautiful blonde female, finished her trivial report about money, and turned it over to the weatherman, a young, clumsy Warm Blood who seemed too afraid if his shadow to be scary. D'nni found that Lance Thunder was nothing at all like the tough announcer who always yelled. Lance was terrified of making a mistake, and that was what made him funny.

But, on this day, the weatherman was all business, though sweating profusely and playing nervously with his clip-on tie. He introduced himself unnecessarily, and then continued, pointing to a map covered in dark cartoon clouds, ones with strange yellow zigzags beneath them. D'nni cocked his head, setting the empty tin of peaches on the rug.

"Severe thunder storm watch for the Amity Park area. It doesn't look like it could escalate to tornadoes, but it is still advisable to exercise extreme caution."

"Thundstorm? " D'nni asked the screen, feeling the foreign word on his tongue, wondering what it meant.

* * *

"Dammit." Vlad cursed, running a hand over his face. Rain pelted down on his windshield, falling in large sheets. His windshield wipers squeaked loudly in protest, the sudden spring rain almost too much for them.

"Déjà vu." The man growled darkly to himself, turning up his bright lights. This was to be his second encounter with the boy, and, just as before, the weather was threatening to push him from the road. Above, a loud peal of thunder boomed, followed by a brilliant flash of lighting that tore through the sky. The man couldn't help but chuckle for a moment.

"The prince has to be terrified." Vlad grinned. "Poor Dage."

He kept a firm grip on the steering wheel, checking from time to time to make sure his great grandfather's journal was still resting on the passenger seat beside him. He quickly ran through various Gla-ki terms in his head, trying to recall the proper way to address the dage. Perhaps a show of respect would win over the boy. Then, maybe he would go back with him…willingly, that is.

The car's headlights cut through the rain, showing the Fenton's long, curving driveway up ahead. Vlad smiled deviously, skillfully turning his car's steering wheel, heading into the dense forest. As the muddy gravel crunched beneath the sleek black tires, Vlad felt a sense of accomplishment, and he found himself turning, once again, to the ring around his finger, adorned with foreign symbols, as wild as the untamed north.

* * *

D'nni was almost paralyzed with fear.

It had come so sudden… a loud sound that shook the whole house. He had almost frozen in place, sitting vulnerably in the middle of Jazz's playroom. Finally, reason had returned, and the boy had escaped into his bedroom, fortifying his stronghold with every pillow and blanket in his possession. He flinched at every crack of thunder, and hid from every flash of lighting. It was terror as he had rarely known before. He had discovered a thunderstorm, and realized that they petrified him.

As the rain outside pelted on the window, he was oblivious to the dark black car coming to a stop before the house…

And he was oblivious to the man who stepped out, a smug grin plastered on his face…

* * *

glossary.

it's coming up.

but just so you

don't read the end,

and because

numbers

in a line

won't work,

I'm writing this,

pointless stuff.

okay...

Glossary:

1. D'nni, hold on.

2. Daeir, I'm scared.

3. Where's Aik?

4: She fell in the water. (shriku is the sound of ice breaking or cracking. It's commonly accosiated with people falling in the ocean, so...Shriku laa!)


	11. A Short Advance

**Spy Guy: Alright...soo. I know that this chapter is short. PLease read this note here. **

**I've been having troubles with this story, because I can't figure out where it's going, or what's going to happen...or anything. I don't know what the climax is, or even if the characters are acting right...I'm having so many problems. **

**So, I'm sorry if updates aren't coming very quickly. I haven't been writing as much fan fiction as usual...I aplologize. **

**Thank you all. **

* * *

His great grandfather's journal hung heavily against his side, bulging through the pocket of his jacket. Vlad was hiding from the sheets of freezing rain, sheltered by an overhang above the Fenton's porch. Coming to the house had been risky. There was a chance that the Fenton's would be home. There was no car parked in the driveway except for his own, and there was no garage to hide one. The Fenton's were gone. Hopefully both of them…

Vlad paused for a moment, staring up at the home. He suddenly realized how foolish his plan had been. He had wanted to get into the house and confront D'nni alone, but he hadn't done any research into when the Fenton's would be gone. He also had no idea how he was going to gain entrance to the inside without breaking a window. Even the weakest of security systems could detect that. Vlad clenched his fists, glaring at the door in front of him.

"_I don't care."_ He told himself as another boom of thunder exploded above him. _"I __**have**__ to see the prince."_

The man couldn't remember when his need to speak to the prince had become an obsession. He _had_ to talk to him, _had_ to gain entrance to the house. He had to know about his ancestors. How they lived, how they could manipulate the elements. It was like a missing piece of his past. Maybe his great grandfather had felt the same obsession when he had lived among the Gla-ki in their homeland. Maybe it was a strange familial tie that drew him to the young prince. All Vlad knew was that he desperately needed to see his great uncle.

The door to the home was locked. That much was obvious. The man then quickly began scanning the porch, searching for a place that a spare key could be hidden. He didn't even know if the Fenton's _had_ a spare key. For all he knew, he could be wasting his time.

Growling, the man bent down, hefting a rock in his palm.

He _would_ see the boy…even if it meant breaking a few windows.

* * *

"_Naba!" D'nni shouted, lurching to his feet, running to protect Daeir…his father…his king. It hurt to see the strongest figure in his life reduced to what Daeir was: a weak old man, unable to defend himself from the Warm Bloods who attempted to take his bands from him. The foolish invaders didn't understand what the bands meant to all of the Gla-ki. They were more than just symbols of status. They held entire histories on their imprinted surfaces. The history of his family…of the entire royal line. A Gla-ki without his bands was considered a jijen: a slave fit only to follow in the footsteps of a controlling master. _

_D'nni bared his teeth at the burly Warm Bloods, cursing darkly in Gla-ki. _

"_Grimo, S'rala-ki!" (1) He hissed, kneeling by his Daeir's side, glaring up at the men surrounding him._

"_Cas'y…" Daeir whispered softly, his silvery eyes staring blankly up at his son. "Takihno mo Gla-ki." (2)_

"_Daeir…"_

_Something struck the boy in the side, knocking the wind from his lugs. Struggling to recover his breath, D'nni felt warm fingers trying to the work the clasp for the band around his neck. The Gla-ki lurched back, forcefully pushing the Warm Blood's hands away from one of his most prized possessions…_

_The Warm Bloods could not have it. _

_Why did they want it all of a sudden? Was it because they seemed to hold some obsession with things that shone in the sun? Was it because they wanted to read the history imprinted on its surface? _

_The latter seemed unlikely. The Warm Bloods had never taken the time to learn the language of the Gla-ki. Why would they care about their history?_

_Maybe the Warm Bloods were trying to take their history from them…and that was why they wanted the bands. _

_They had already taken their land…their language…their way of life…_

_When would everything else be gone? _

* * *

D'nni huddled within his fort, his hands clasped over his ears, murmuring frantic prayers to himself in Gla-ki. Outside, the storm continued to rage, sending harsh rain pelting against the windowpane. Another crack of thunder shook the house, the sound harshly slicing into the Gla-ki's ears.

He never heard the sound of shattering glass...as Vlad threw a rock straight through the living room window...

* * *

glossay

glossary

glossari

Glossary

words and

words

and

words,

so

the

ending is

Secret...

yeah...

(1) Damn Warm Blood...(basicly).

(2) Carefull...Help your people...


	12. Confrontation

**Spy Guy: Okay. I know this has been a long time coming, and the chapter's probably not as long as you wanted, but it's at least much longer than the one before. I apologize for that, and I hope to do better in the future. **

**Anywyas, this chapter is king of awkward. I hope it makes some sense, and that all of you still like it. **

**Please preview! **

* * *

Vlad stalked through the home, brushing fragments of broken glass from his suit. For a moment, he inspected a deep cut along his palm, and plucked a shard of glass from within, casting it aside before scanning the unfamiliar walls around him. A small part of his mind screamed that what he was doing was crazy...but his jumbled thoughts were all piled up on top of each other, trying to gain dominance over the prince's name that cried above them all.

"_Beh Dage." _It chanted. _"My prince..." _

He felt as if he was shrouded in a haze, driven endlessly to reach his goal...pulled by a force that he couldn't identify. It pushed his body to continue on, his eyes bleary as he purposefully trudged through the home's strange hallways.

Vlad stumbled up a flight of stairs, his wet clothes hanging heavily against his body. A chill ran down his spine, but he ignored it, coming to a line of doorways. Blindly, he walked forward, his hand reaching out to grasp the first doorknob...

Thunder boomed overhead, rattling the home on its foundation. A flash of lightning cut across the man's vision and he came to a halt, rapidly blinking his eyes, his hand trembling.

The haze was gone...

As his thoughts returned to him, Vlad realized that his hand hurt...and it was slick and wet. Why did his hand hurt? He couldn't remember... Looking down, Vlad's face paled when he saw the droplets of blood that had fallen to the carpet. His eyes widened as he saw the clean slice across his skin. He remembered at once what he had done: He had cut himself breaking into a stranger's home...and for what? To see a boy? The man shook his head, taking a step backward...

Crimson ran in rivulets through the engravings of his ring.

What was he doing? Why was he being so foolish? He turned on his heel, suddenly desperate to get out of the home.

Another burst of thunder...this time followed by fearful whimper.

"_Takihno!" _A small voice cried through frantic sobs. Vlad felt his heart pounding quickly in his chest...

It was the prince's voice.

All thoughts of running vanished, and the man absentmindedly wiped his hand on his jacket, continuing toward his goal.

The prince was crying...

He followed the sound to a door, and, without another thought, opened it.

"_Beh Dage?"_ The man whispered as he peeked his head into the room.

The boy was nowhere in sight, but Vlad could hear him, and followed the sound of his soft sobs He found the prince nestled in a structure of pillows, clutching a small white seal to his chest. The man couldn't help but smile warmly at the poor child as he cowered in fear.

He had found him...and he had never felt so happy.

* * *

_Sven Masters shouldered his rifle, trying not to stare at the spray of red that stained the ice around him. The Gla-ki's howling rang in his ears as he slowly returned to the crate that served as his lookout post. _

"_That another one?" His boss called from his place around the fire. _

"_Yes, sir." Sven replied, turning towards the warm fire, his breath crystallizing in the air. He watched as his boss, holding a leg of seabird to his lips, tore off the sizzling meat with his teeth. Across from him, his second in command gnawed at a thigh. _

_Sven found his attention drawn to the young boy who sat between them, crying softly. The child was the prince...the figure of power for the tribe reduced to nothing more than a whimpering boy at the sight of death.  
_

_Once again, Sven heard someone's feet crunching over the ice, approaching the main base. He got up from his seat, cocking his weapon and scanning the area with his clear blue eyes. An old Gla-ki man appeared from behind a mound of snow, his face grizzled and scarred._

"_**Gla-ia!"**__The man shouted, clutching a sharp shard of ice in his hands. __**"Naire ta Dage! Gla-ia!" **_

_Sven could see that the old man's body was trembling violently. He was severely ill. He should be resting in bed. But instead, he was trying to free the prince...just like all the others whose bodies littered the ground. Sven aimed his weapon, and fired one bullet to the man's heart, knocking him onto the ice where he floundered in his own blood._

"_**T'aka!"**__The prince suddenly cried out from behind him, getting to his feet. __**"Gla-ia. Gla-ia!" **_

"_Sit down Wretch!" The second in command hissed, reaching for the cane at his side. He swung it around, hitting the prince in the shins, bringing him to his knees. The boy whimpered, tears streaking his cheeks. _

"_**T'aka..." **__He begged. __**"Beh ki-kis." **_

_Sven returned to his post, trying to push away the sounds of pain that rang in his ears...

* * *

  
_

"_Sa-Dage D'nni." _A low voice whispered from above him. D'nni felt a stab of panic run through his spine.

It was a man's voice...but not Jack's. Jack's voice was loud, but he had grown to find it comforting. This man's voice sounded oozing...thick with false emotion. It reminded him of the men who had chased him across the ice, reaching for his bands, trying to pry them from his body.

It reminded him of why he was afraid of men.

The boy opened his eyes, letting a cry of fear gurgle in his throat. The man from the woods stood above him, his body soaked with rainwater. Silver hair hung in wet strands around his pallid Warm Blood face, and the metallic tang of blood sat heavily around him.

"Shhh." The intruder murmured, drawing a finger to his lips. "I only wish to speak with my prince."

D'nni shot to his feet, throwing Gillie behind him to protect her, clumsily backing away from the unwelcome stranger. He let out a strangled cry, jerking his hands upward, crystallizing a thin wall of ice between them. The man stood straight, smiling, his features warped through the frozen barrier.

"_Beh Dage."_ The stranger murmured, reaching a hand over the top of the wall. He swung his fist around, shattering the barrier into thousands of small fragments, breaking away the boy's only defense.

Adrenaline thrummed in the prince's veins and he automatically drew the broken shards into his hands, using his powers to make them long and sharp.

He was good at making weapons.

"I only wish to speak with you." The man continued, showing the boy his palms in a sign of peace. "My name is Vladimir Masters. We've met before."

"_Keshiay_!" The boy snarled low in his throat, shifting his weight to his toes. He knew that the man did not belong in the house. He knew that, because he was alone, the duty to protect the Fenton's home fell on _his_ shoulders...

He would not let his new family down!

The prince poised himself to strike, gripping the sharp daggers in his hands, feeling the soothing ice against his palms—

An ear-splitting peal of thunder stopped him in his tracks.

D'nni cried out, dropping the daggers to the floor. He raised his hands up to his ears, instinctively trying to shield them from the loud sound. Another crack. Another flash D'nni let out a small whimper.

Before he could recover, the strange man had wrapped an arm around his shoulders,and pulled him into an unwilling embrace. D'nni tried to escape, hissing a strangled Gla-ki curse as he flailed against Vlad's hold.

"D'nni, please." The intruder begged. D'nni pulled his hands away from his ears, trying to draw more ice from the air.

Another boom of thunder.

The loud sound paralyzed him. He hated himself for his weakness, and he knew that he couldn't fight the Warm Blood if he couldn't even concentrate.

He felt pathetic.

Vlad shifted, reaching for the boy's neck, wrapping his other arm tight around the boy's shoulders to restrain him. D'nni squirmed in the man's hold, feeling his eyes well with tears.

He was going to lose his bands.

Vlad's fingers pressed against the prince's skin, just above the silver brace around his throat. D'nni cringed, his cramped muscles protesting from the contact.

"That hurts, doesn't it?" The man asked, slowly working his finger in small circles against the boy's light blue flesh. The prince whimpered slightly at first, but soon, the motion began to soothe him. He could feel his muscles unwinding, lifting a weight from his shoulders. It felt so good.

It reminded him of when he and Daeir would come back from a hunt, exhausted and weary. Daeir would gently massage his shoulders, moving his fingers in intricate patterns around the area of his child's band.

For a moment...D'nni felt like he was at home again...

"All that silver puts a strain on your shoulders, doesn't it D'nni?" Vlad asked, smiling slightly.

The boy said nothing in reply.

"I'm not here to hurt you." The man continued. "I just had to see you again. Something...drove me to seek you out. I'm here to tell you that, we're family, _beh dage. _I am the only family you have left in the world._" _

The peace D'nni had felt only seconds before shattered. His body stiffened as he listened to the Warm Blood's voice.

The man _couldn't_ be his family. He didn't look anything like a Gla-ki. Vlad didn't look like his brothers or sisters...like his people. He looked more like the ones who had murdered them.

"_Ziaj mo!" _The prince spat, glaring up at the man's pale Warm Blood face. He tried to pull himself away from Vlad's arms, but the man tightened his grip, putting the boy in a strangle hold. D'nni's muscles seized as he realized what position he had just been placed in...

With one swift jerk, Vlad could break his neck.

"You need to listen to me, Prince." The man continued, his once calm voice bordering on madness. "We're family...and I need to know more about you."

D'nni let out a squeak of fear as Vlad's arm began tightening around his throat, constricting his windpipe. The boy tried to bring more ice into his hands, but he found his strength quickly waning. Small snowflakes fluttered from his palms, landing on the floor.

"I am of your blood, D'nni." Vlad's voice whispered as curtains of black began to overtake the prince's vision. "Only _I_ can protect you..."

D'nni's eyes fluttered shut, and he went limp in the man's arms...

* * *

**Spy: Dun dun dun. As I've said, this chapter is kind of awkward. I had a hard time trying to convey Vlad's obsession with going to the prince. It's kind of a blood thing. He _has_ to see the prince, and that makes him break into the house and all that...**

**I'm going to make y'all guess what the Gla-ki is in this chapter. If you really need help, then ask me, in a REVIEW! YES! Zacca! **

**Anyways, I hope all of you enjoyed. :D I'm turning over a new leaf, and have been replying recently to everyone. If I miss you, sorry. I'm still trying to do better. :D **

**-Lor  
**


	13. Gone

**Spy: Quick update. I'm going to reply to your reviews once I get home from applebees, kay? Thanks. I really appreciated all the feedback! :D **

* * *

For the Fenton's, the ride back home was agonizing. Rain fell in sheets, pummeling their van, while thunder boomed overhead, rattling the glass windows.

For a moment, lightning streaked across the sky.

"D'nni's got to be worried." Maddie whispered. "He's never seen weather like this. What if the power goes out?"

Jack was silent for a moment, his jaw locked as he stared at the road ahead.

"I think he's got bigger problems right now, Mads." The man finally whispered, turning onto their long driveway. "I'm not sure how we're going to tell him."

Maddie shook her head sadly.

"We can't." the woman replied. "We can't let those people have him like this. What do they think he is? An animal?"

"But the facility _was_ nice, Ma--"

"He doesn't need a facility!" Maddie shouted, turning angrily to her husband. "He needs _people, _Jack. Do you remember how he acted when we first met? How afraid he was?"

"I know." Jack replied, keeping his eyes focused on the road. He could see the house in the distance, peeking through the trees. After another minute of driving, they reached it...and finally saw the damage that had been done.

The man came to an abrupt halt, quickly unfastening his seatbelt, jumping into the muddy drive, eyes wide open and staring.

The entire front window had been shattered, fragments of glass littering the ground. Jack approached the scene, cringing as he saw that some shards had been smeared with blood.

"Someone broke in." He said, feeling slightly numb. Maddie rushed past him, shakily unlocking the front door. After a moment of struggle, the lock popped, and the door swung slowly open, revealing the living room in all its ruined splendor. The floor was covered in fragments of glass, and muddy footprints...along with small droplets of blood.

"They lead to the stairs." Maddie whispered, holding her breath.

It was obvious that the intruder hadn't even tried to hide his tracks. He had left behind a clear trail, as if he didn't care who followed...A clear trail that led straight to D'nni...

"Nonono." Maddie mumbled as she entered his room, her heart seizing as she took in the mess of mud and water gathered on the floor. In the background, another crack of thunder shook the house, quickly followed by a flash of light...but even that couldn't blind her to what she saw...

The footprints were smeared, as if there had been a slight struggle. Puddles of water gathered on the floor...Gillie was tossed aside, her white fur stained...

And D'nni was nowhere in sight.

Maddie brought her hand to her mouth, pushing back the tears that threatened to come.

"Oh my God." Jack growled, surveying the scene, his hands fisted at his sides. The man crossed the floor, peeking into the collapsed remains of D'nni's pillow fortress. He checked under the bed; in the closet, even in Jazz's play room. Soon, he returned to his wife's side, the reality of what had happened closing in on him.

"D'nni!" He shouted, over the storm. "D'nni!"

But no one answered...

* * *

Heat…

It was stifling…

It felt like his body was on fire…

The Warm Blood's fire.

The boy stirred, giving a small whimper as he tried to edge away from the flames. He pulled himself deeper into the velvety cushions supporting him, trying to escape the dry heat that relentlessly licked at his skin.

"Maddie?" He called, his parched throat cracking hoarsely. Why was it so hot?

Sluggishly, he opened his eyes, wincing as bright flames flickered before him.

There was a fire, contained behind a metal grate, like a prisoner. D'nni watched it intently, feeling only slightly comforted by the fire's confinement. His throat hurt, and he wanted nothing more than to pry his band from his neck to relieve himself of its stifling embrace. But he could only do that in the safety of his room, when no one was around to see. It was taboo for anyone not of royal blood to see him without his marks of status. Instead, his fingers reached for the band around his wrist, and he was slightly comforted by its familiar symbols.

The fire crackled threateningly in the hearth, snapping angrily as it pushed against the grate…

Where was he?

"Maddie?" He called louder, cautiously inspecting his surroundings.

The walls were made of what looked like large tree trunks piled on top of each other. Animal skin rugs covered the floor, and the walls were lined in lush tapestries depicting the wilderness. D'nni gazed at it all in wonder. It was so different than the home he shared with the Fentons.

"This shall be your bedroom." A voice called from behind him. "I hope that it is to your liking."

D'nni's eyes widened. He knew that voice.

_He could feel a pressure against his windpipe…he could feel his lungs blackening…panic falling over him. He could smell cologne and blood on the man's clothes…_

_He could hear madness in his voice. _

D'nni skittered to his feet, whirling around to stare wide-eyed at the man before him.

"Don't look so terrified, _beh dage." _The stranger grinned. "I'm not going to harm you. That move I pulled was simply to get you out of that home. You're safer here."

Vlad took a step forward, and D'nni took one back, feeling his body trembling. Vlad had been within an inch of breaking his neck. He had held the power to kill in his hands…and yet, he had spared him.

Just like the Warm Bloods who kept him alive when the other hunters were slaughtered. Because he was a prince, he was a pawn to use...

"_Keshiay…" _The boy whimpered, turning away from his unwelcome visitor. "…go…"

"I'll leave you for now, D'nni." Vlad said, slightly inclining his head. "I apologize if the heat is uncomfortable. It's necessary. Trust me."

D'nni didn't _want_ to trust him. He didn't want anything to _do_ with him. He just wanted the man to disappear and never come back. He wanted him to go away…

He wanted to forget the madness he had seen in his face…

He wanted to forget _everything_…

Without another word, Vlad turned around, quietly shutting the door behind him. D'nni cringed as he heard the rough grating of a key turning the lock. With a click, he knew he was trapped…a prisoner just like he had been before, back home on the ice…huddled between two monsters, the hot flames making his powers useless.

D'nni let out a pitiful sob, wishing that Daeir was by his side, massaging his shoulders and reassuring him. Daeir had always been strong. Even when he had been beaten down again and again, there had always been a slight flicker of power in him.

D'nni needed him…

* * *

"_Daeir, takihno…" _The prince whimpered, cradling his head in his hands.

_D'nni entered the small tent, kneeling by Daeir's bedside, a bowl of melted snow cradled in his hands. He held the bowl to Daeir's parched lips, carefully pouring it down his throat. The man slowly drank, his bleary eyes half shut. _

"_**Gla-ra, Jei N'ni." **__ The old king rasped, a small trickle rolling from the corner of his mouth. D'nni wiped it away with the edge of his shawl, smiling sadly down at his father. _

"_**Beh b'eri fuy ri beh Daeir."**__ He whispered, setting the bowl aside on the cold floor. Daeir smiled weakly as well, reaching out a pale, disheveled hand to touch the band at his child's throat. _

"_**Beh b'eri fuy ri beh Jei Dage." **_

_**I love you, Little Prince...

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**Spy: I know it's a little short. I wanted to cut it off here thought. okay? Bye! and please review! **

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